The lingering uncertainty surrounding Rohit Sharma’s role in India’s T20I team, both as a player and captain, appears to be on the brink of clarity. Insider information suggests that the BCCI selectors may have already made up their minds to stick with Rohit Sharma as the captain for the T20I squad, at least until the upcoming T20 World Cup next year.
The T20 World Cup 2024 is set to kick off in June, closely following the conclusion of IPL 2024, taking place in the West Indies and the USA.
Emphasizing the importance of rest and ODI matches, India’s seasoned duo, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been absent from T20Is since their exit in the T20 World Cup semi-final in Adelaide last year. Despite this, both players showcased exceptional form during the recent World Cup in 2023.
Rohit Sharma, at the age of 36, made a significant impact in the World Cup 2023, particularly with his aggressive batting in the powerplay. This stellar performance has likely bolstered confidence in Rohit’s role as a player and captain for India in the upcoming T20 World Cup. With India aiming for a balanced opening pair, relying solely on inexperienced openers like Gill and Jaiswal might not be the ideal strategy.
Hardik Pandya took charge of the Indian T20I team for most of 2023 since Rohit Sharma, the primary captain, was busy with ODIs and Test matches during a year that featured the World Test Championship final and the 50-over World Cup.
Currently taking a break from the ongoing T20I series against Australia, where both teams are fielding second-string squads, Rohit is expected to resume his leadership for India during the South Africa tour. While his participation in the ODI series remains uncertain, there are indications that he could lead India in the T20I series, given the limited number of T20Is scheduled for India in the next four months.
Gautam Gambhir, the former Indian opening batsman and a member of the triumphant 2007 T20 World Cup team, shared his perspective that Rohit Sharma demonstrated excellent leadership during the 2023 World Cup. Gambhir believes that Rohit should continue captaining the T20I side based on his impressive performance in the last competition.
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“I want to see Rohit Sharma as captain in the T20 World Cup. Yes, Hardik has been captaining in T20Is but I would still want to see Rohit as captain in the World Cup. Don’t pick Rohit Sharma only as a batter,” Gambhir told Sportskeeda.
“Rohit is a phenomenal leader, he has proved that with his leadership and batting in this ODI World Cup. If you are picking Rohit, which you should then he should be selected as a captain who can bat,” Gambhir further added.
The upcoming discussions between the selectors and the top leadership of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are anticipated to delve into the T20 World Cup strategy and the future plans concerning head coach Rahul Dravid. Nevertheless, a conundrum looms as Hardik Pandya’s sidelining due to an ankle injury sustained in the World Cup presents a challenging scenario for the selection process.
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