CHENNAI: “The next stage is the WTC final and the Champions Trophy. I have full faith in Rohit Sharma’s captaincy, that we will be the champions in both these tournaments,” former BCCI secretary Jay Shah had said in a video message following India’s T20 World Cup win in June this year.
While Shah has joined as ICC chair since, Rohit’s fortunes seemed to have plummeted.
Though not confirmed, the 37-year-old Mumbai cricketer is set to sit out of the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney. This despite being announced as a captain for the entire series, the first of its kind in the Indian cricket.
Having already retired from the shortest format after the World Cup triumph, the recent turn of events has put under the scanner Rohit’s future as the ODI captain as well.
But it’s Indian cricket and anything can happen. Rohit, with a batting average of just 6.20 in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, certainly suffered an ignominy of having the worst-ever figure by a visiting captain in Australia. However, Rohit’s numbers in the 50-over format are still brilliant and get a notch higher when taken into consideration with him as a captain.
Above all, India have played only six ODIs since the loss against Australia in the World Cup final on November 19, 2023. In fact, in the lead-up to the tournament, Rohit had led India to Asia Cup title. Soon after the WC defeat, they toured South Africa and played three ODIs apart from as many T20Is and two Test matches.
Rohit opted out of the white-ball series. More than eight months later, they played three-match ODI series against hosts Sri Lanka, with Rohit returning as the captain.
Since his ODI debut in 2017, Rohit has played 265 matches for the country so far with an impressive average of 49.16. He is the only batter to slam three double centuries and his 264 against Sri Lanka in 2014 is the highest individual score in the format. More importantly, his average shoots to 55.10 as captain.
Besides, he was the second leading scorer in the last ODI WC with 597 runs from 11 matches, only behind teammate Virat Kohli (765). His strike rate of 125.94 as an opener, however, was one of the reasons behind India’s stellar show in the tournament. Rohit is also only third Indian captain to win the World Cup after Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni.
With Champions Trophy (starting February 19) around the corner, it looks unlikely the Indian cricket board will opt for a new ODI captain. Before the tournament, they are scheduled to play a three-match ODI series against visiting England next month and in all probability Rohit will once again lead the side.
Former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson is confident of Rohit returning to form in the CT.
“I don’t think it (current poor form) will really play a part at all with Rohit Sharma and Virat’s impact in one-day cricket. It’s going to be different conditions where they’re playing in Dubai. One-day cricket does really free them both as well,” said Watson. Speaking on Rohit, he said, “We’ll see that again in the Champions Trophy. Rohit, like we saw in the one-day World Cup (2023), when he was at his very best, he was taking on the game. It’s more difficult to be able to do that in Test cricket.”
But again it’s Indian cricket and everything cannot be taken on the face value. Ahead of the England white-ball series, selectors will sit down to pick up the T20I and ODI squads. Rohit may again be announced as the leader of the ODI side as Shah had said after the T20 WC win. However, it all depends on what Rohit decides after the Sydney Test and for that one can only wait.