With Virat Kohli and Tom Latham leading India and New Zealand respectively in the second Test at the Wankhede Stadium, the series between the two teams becomes the first two-Test rubber since as far back as 1889 to feature four different captains. While Kohli was always going to return to captain the team in the second Test, Latham replaced Kane Williamson, whose recurring elbow injury flared up after the first Test.
The last time it happened was when England toured South Africa for a two-Test series. The era was such that the matches were deemed as Test matches only in latter years. England’s captain was supposed to be Aubrey Smith but he came down with a fever after the first match because of which they were captained by Monty Bowden in the second.
Both men stayed back in South Africa after the two “Tests”, with Bowden dying a few years later in present-day Zimbabwe, according to ESPNCricinfo. At 23 years and 144 days, Bowden remains England’s youngest ever Test captain but he possibly never realised that he captained his country in the longest format of the game.
In the present day, India were captained by Ajinkya Rahane in the first Test with Kohli sitting out. Rahane was one of three India players who suffered an injuries during the Kanpur Test because and Kohli came in his place. Rahane’s spot in the team was the subject of intense speculation before the match due to his poor recent form with the bat.
