"You need a captain like that" - Rashid Khan on whether Hardik Pandya should become India's T20I skipper

Rashid Khan hopes Hardik Pandya becomes India's T20I captain as the Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper has all the qualities of a leader.

Hardik led the Titans to the IPL 2022 trophy in the franchise's maiden season in the prestigious league despite himself being a first-time skipper in the tournament.

The all-rounder has an unbeaten record in the five T20Is he has led India, winning four, with the other match ending in a tie in the recent T20I series against New Zealand.

During an interaction on News24 Sports, Rashid was asked whether it would be better if Hardik becomes India's T20I captain. He replied affirmatively, saying:

"Hardik Pandya, the way he has captained in the IPL - definitely. He has the qualities of a captain. He is cool and calm under pressure. You need a captain like that."

Hardik's deputy at the Titans added:

"The way he led the team, I played with him, I enjoyed a lot as a player along with him. I hope he becomes, he has that quality in him that he can lead the Indian team."

Many cricket experts feel the selectors should look beyond Rohit Sharma as India's T20I skipper. Former head coach Ravi Shastri also believes the Baroda all-rounder might be the right man for the job.

---

"He will definitely be a big batter for India" - Rashid Khan on whether Shubman Gill can be the next Virat Kohli

Shubman Gill has had an excellent start to his ODI career.

Rashid was further asked if Shubman Gill could be the next Virat Kohli, to which he responded:

"Shubman Gill - he is one of my favorites, like the way he bats. We played together. The sort of mindset and approach he has, he will definitely be a big batter for India in the future."

However, the Afghanistan leg-spinner reckons it might be premature to compare the stylish Gujarat Titans opener with India's batting mainstay. He stated:

"It's pretty early to compare, to say he will be the next Virat Kohli, but I think he has lots of talent and skills and I think he will have lots of achievements for Team India in the future."

Gill has made an exceptional start to his ODI career, amassing 687 runs at an excellent average of 57.25 in 15 games. The youngster, who is yet to make his T20I debut, made a promising start to his Test career in Australia but has failed to capitalize on his chances in the longest format in recent times.