New Delhi, Aug. 18 -- The debate over who should replace Natarajan Chandrasekaran as chairman of Tata Sons Pvt. Ltd. is becoming a national guessing game. Names have been floated, credentials weighed, and the options dissected.

But the succession issue obscures a more consequential question: What does Noel Tata want to do with the Tata Group, now that he has inherited the power to shape its direction?

That's far more important than the choice of Chandrasekaran's successor since that choice won't resolve the accumulated unanswered questions: how much more capital should go into Air India and Tata Digital; what should happen to Tata Sons' listing status; and how should the relationship with Shapoorji Pallonji Group be managed?

Noel Tata ...