With Virat
Kohli due to step down from captaincy following the T20 World Cup, experts and
former cricketers are weighing in on the debate about who should succeed him in
the role. While vice-captain Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul are among the most
likely replacements to replace the 33-year-old in the leadership role, former
pacer Ashish Nehra backed an unlikely choice to lead the Men in Blue in the
shortest format.

The
42-year-old said Jasprit Bumrah should replace Kohli as captain because he is among
the few mainstays in all formats, while candidates like Rahul and Rishabh
Pant have been dropped from the squad in one the three formats in recent times.

Speaking on
a Cricbuzz show, the Delhi-born former bowler said, “After Rohit Sharma, we are
hearing the names of Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul (as contenders). Rishabh Pant
has traveled around the world but has also carried drinks and has even been
left out from the team before.”

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“KL Rahul
returned to Test cricket because Mayank Agarwal was injured… So Jasprit
Bumrah can be an option too. As Ajay (Jadeja) said, he’s sturdy, a certainty in
the team, and is always in the XI for all formats. It’s nowhere written in the
rule book that fast bowlers can’t be captains,” Nehra added.

While BCCI
is yet to make an official announcement, Rohit and Rahul have been reportedly
considered for the captaincy for the upcoming home series against New Zealand.
According to reports, the announcement is likely to be made when the board
announces the squad for the series next week.

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The Blackcaps
are scheduled to play three T20Is, starting November 17, and two Test matches –
from November 25-29 and December 3-7 in Kanpur and Mumbai respectively. The T20Is
will be hosted in Jaipur, Ranchi and Kolkata.

According
to a PTI report, the BCCI will also review Kohli’s ODI captaincy if India fail
to win the ongoing T20 World Cup. India are currently depending on Afghanistan
to beat New Zealand in the final round of group games in order to have a chance
of making it to the semi-finals.