After India celebrated their triumphant T20 World Cup victory last year, their captain for ODIs and Tests, Rohit Sharma, chose to call it quits from the shortest format. The same may be acted on after the ICC Champions Trophy on Pakistan and Dubai. It is true that Rohit hasn’t had form on his side for quite a long while, and he was even close to calling it quits on the Test format before reversing his decision. The BCCI has reportedly told the India captain that he must come out on his roadmap for the future after the Champions Trophy concludes. The board is eager to work out a way ahead for the 2027 ODI World Cup, and they insist on clarity regarding Rohit’s future.
A report of the Times of India states that the BCCI wants the transition to begin in both ODIs and Tests. It is keen to establish a captaincy option that offers security in both formats, and thus Rohit has been requested to talk about his plans. As for Virat Kohli, however, the board may wait a little more.
“The selectors and the board had this conversation with Rohit around the selection meeting over the last time. He has been told that he has to chew about how he wants to plan his future after the Champions Trophy. The team management has certain plans going into the next WTC cycle and ODI World Cup. They want to put all these ideas into people for a seamless transition,” a BCCI source said, according to the paper.
Among the top Test captaincy candidates, the name of Jasprit Bumrah sits at the numero uno position. However, the pacer’s fitness could be a deterrent to his long-term leadership ambitions. Shubman Gill is another candidate but his form doesn’t instill the sort of belief the board would’ve liked. Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal are also being seen as options for future leadership roles.
“Bumrah’s chances of a long Test series or completing a full season will always be in doubt. The selectors may want a more stable option. Gill has been seen as a captaincy prospect but his returns in Test cricket have been average. Rishabh Pant could also be a strong candidate and maybe someone like Yashashvi Jaiswal can be groomed for the role,” the report further said.
