NEW DELHI: Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has expressed his "shock" at Rohit Sharma being removed as captain of the Indian ODI team, stating that the batter deserved to lead the side in Australia after guiding India to the Champions Trophy title earlier this year.
In a significant move, the Indian selectors on Saturday handed over the ODI captaincy to young Test skipper Shubman Gill, keeping the 2027 World Cup in mind. However, Harbhajan believes Rohit could have continued for a little longer.
"Congratulations to Shubman Gill. Obviously, he has been leading the team well in Test cricket, and now he's been given another responsibility: to lead the ODI side as well. Of course, Rohit has been replaced as captain by Shubman, and Rohit is someone who holds a very good record in white-ball cricket," Harbhajan told JioHotstar.
"To be honest, it's a bit of a shock for me to see Rohit not being the captain. If you're selecting Rohit Sharma, select him as captain, because he just recently won you the ICC Champions Trophy. Rohit has been one of the pillars of Indian cricket when it comes to white-ball formats. I think he should have been given at least this tour. If the selectors are thinking about the 2027 ODI World Cup, it's still far away."
The ODIs in Australia are scheduled to be played in Sydney, Adelaide, and Melbourne between 19 and 25 October, followed by a five-match T20 series.
Harbhajan, a member of the victorious 2011 World Cup squad, said the selectors could have waited for another year before giving Gill the ODI captaincy.
"Shubman has a lot of time to grow into the role of ODI captain. I'm happy for Shubman; he's got this opportunity, but it could have been delayed a little. He could have waited six to eight months or even a year before taking over. I'm happy for Shubman, but at the same time, I'm a bit disappointed for Rohit Sharma not being the captain," Harbhajan added.
Rohit has been one of India's finest captains in white-ball formats, leading the team to two ICC titles and a runner-up finish at the 2023 World Cup at home, cementing his place as an all-time great.
On Rohit’s role moving forward, Harbhajan said the 38-year-old Mumbaikar will continue to drive Indian cricket forward in the ODI format alongside his longtime teammate Virat Kohli.
"If you look at Rohit's ODI record, he's averaging almost close to 50. That shows how consistent he's been and what he brings to the table as an opener. There's no doubt about his performances and his approach when it comes to playing for India. He's been a phenomenal player, and that will not change. He will continue to bat the way he always has and continue to be a leader in the team, irrespective of whether he's captain or not. He'll keep giving advice to Shubman or anyone else whenever needed. As a batter, Rohit won't change his approach. He'll remain as fearless as ever, and so will Virat Kohli. These two top players will continue to drive Indian cricket forward, and we're all looking forward to seeing them win matches for Team India."
Rohit has won 42 of the 56 ODI matches he captained, with a winning percentage of 76. Shreyas Iyer has been named vice-captain for the three-match series in Australia.
Asked about Shreyas’ appointment as Gill’s deputy, Harbhajan said he was pleased to see the batter given greater responsibility.
"He's one of those guys who hardly gets the credit he deserves. We talk about that World Cup in India; he scored back-to-back centuries, and with what pace! He's an impact player; when he gets going, he makes things easy for the dressing room and the other batters. I'm very happy that he's back in the scheme of things, not just as a player but with a bigger responsibility as vice-captain. I'm looking forward to seeing him back and to see what he brings to the table in terms of ideas and how he and Shubman Gill take this team forward," Harbhajan said.
