"The Indian team might go in that direction" - Aakash Chopra on a 'Mr Fix-it' wanting to become India captain amid BGT 2024-25

Aakash Chopra has questioned who 'Mr Fix-it' is, a senior player who has reportedly expressed his wish to become India's interim captain amid the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. While not revealing his guess, the former India batter opined that the player he is thinking about might be given that role.

India are 1-2 down in the five-match series against Australia heading into the final game starting in Sydney on Friday, January 3. Questions have been raised about captain Rohit Sharma's place in the team due to his indifferent form.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener reflected on some of the reports stemming from the visitors' camp. As for a senior player wanting to become the interim captain, he said:

"Who is this 'Mr Fix-it'? Something like this is also happening that a senior player is saying he can become the captain as the team situation is not good, they are undergoing a transition, and he is going to play for the next few years. This thing also came out in public. Then you again start asking the questions that what is happening."

"Please let the series get over. Think whatever you want after the series. I am very, very disappointed. Over a period of time, we will get to know who is this 'Mr Fix-it'. Everyone has started making their guesses. I also have a guess, which I won't tell now, but my guess might be right. The Indian team might go in that direction," Chopra added.

India won their last two away Test series in Australia under Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane's captaincy. They won the first Test of the ongoing series under Jasprit Bumrah's captaincy but have lost two and drawn one game since Rohit Sharma joined the team and took over the leadership role.

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"He brings solidity and stability" - Aakash Chopra on Gautam Gambhir reportedly wanting Cheteshwar Pujara in India's BGT 2024-25 squad

Cheteshwar Pujara was one of India's standout players in their last two away tours Down Under. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra spoke about Cheteshwar Pujara's qualities that might have tempted Gautam Gambhir to reportedly ask for the veteran batter's inclusion in India's BGT 2025-25 squad.

"Another thing was that Gautam Gambhir wanted to select Cheteshwar Pujara. What does Cheteshwar Pujara bring to this game? He brings solidity and stability. He gave exceptional performances if you see the last two (away) BGTs. It was a Player of the Series performance in 2018-19, and in the last one, he stood in the middle despite getting hit all over his body," he said.

However, the cricketer-turned-commentator added that the entire Indian think tank should have been on the same page if Pujara had to be included.

"So he (Gambhir) was thinking about a player like him. There if the coach wanted that and the selectors were refusing and the captain didn't wish that, ideally, everybody should work in one direction," Chopra added.

Aakash Chopra concluded by opining that a player like Cheteshwar Pujara is needed. He added that either KL Rahul can become that player or Shubman Gill has that ability, with Yahasvi Jaiswal already doing very well.