There is no imminent threat to Rohit Sharma’s Test captaincy but the stylish Mumbaikar will need to put up some crucial numbers in the West Indies to prevent question marks over his leadership in the traditional format. Rohit will lead India in the two-Test series in the West Indies and then probably sit down with the BCCI and decide on his future in the traditional format. If people aware of developments in the Indian team are to be believed, Rohit will lead the team till he himself decides to stay away from the two-Test series against the West Indies starting July 12 in Dominica. However, if he fails to play at least one big innings during the second Test (July 20-24) in Dominica or Port of Spain, the BCCI officials and the national selection committee will be under pressure to take a tough decision.
“These are baseless talks that Rohit will be dropped from the captaincy. Yes, will he survive the full two-year WTC cycle is a big question as he will be around 38 when the third edition ends in 2025,” BCCI’s said a senior source. The information was told to PTI on the conditions of anonymity. “At the moment, I believe Shiv Sundar Das and his colleagues will have to take a call after two Tests and look at their batting form.”
In fact, the BCCI operates very differently from other sports organizations. The people in power in the Indian board believe that when criticism reaches its peak, you don’t take decisions. “After the West Indies, we don’t have any Tests till the end of December when the team travels to South Africa. So the selectors have enough time to deliberate and take a decision. Till then the fifth selector (the new chairman) will also be on the panel.” Will join and he said that a decision can be taken.
Those who follow developments in Indian cricket know that once Virat Kohli gave up the Test captaincy after the series defeat in South Africa, Rohit was initially not too keen on taking over as captain in the longest format. Because he did not know whether his body would survive or not. No.
“Two top people at that time (former president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah) had to persuade him to take up the role after KL Rahul failed to impress as captain in South Africa,” the source said. Rohit hasn’t scored the kind of runs one would expect from a player of his calibre, except for a brilliant 120 against Australia on a challenging Nagpur track.
Since Rohit took over the Test captaincy in 2022, India have played 10 Tests and he has missed three — one in England due to COVID 19 and two in Bangladesh due to split webbing. He scored 390 runs in 7 Tests at an average of 35.45 in 11 innings with one century and no other score above 50. In the same phase, Virat Kohli played all 10 Tests, scoring 517 runs in 17 innings and scoring 186 against Australia. He was at his best in Ahmedabad.
Most runs as an opening batsman for India in international cricket:
Virender Sehwag – 15758
Sachin Tendulkar – 15335
Rohit Sharma – 13002* pic.twitter.com/RWjihTnUJq– Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 10, 2023
Cheteshwar Pujara played eight Tests in the same phase and scored 482 runs in 14 innings at an average of 40.12 with two unbeaten innings. But needing a factor, scores of 90 and 102 came against a weak Bangladesh attack.
The selectors know that in the next three years, all three biggies on the wrong side of 35 may not constitute India’s top-order and hence tough calls will be needed looking into the future.