Selectors may take decision on Rohit’s captaincy later this year – Report

Skipper Rohit Sharma is under pressure after India’s recent loss against Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final by 209 runs. This was India’s second consecutive loss in the WTC Final after losing the first final against New Zealand in 2021 under Virat Kohli.

India will now travel to West Indies for a full tour which will comprise two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is. The 36-year-old is set to lead India on the tour but will he go on to the lead India throughout the current WTC Cycle of 2023-25 remains to be seen. According a report by the news agency PTI, the selectors may take a call on Rohit’s captaincy after the two Tests against West Indies. The report, citing a source, however, said that Rohit isn’t going to be removed from captaincy immediately.

“These are baseless stuff that Rohit will be removed from captaincy. Yes, whether he will last the whole two-year WTC cycle is a big question as he would be nearly 38 when the third edition ends in 2025,” a senior BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity. “As of now, I believe that Shiv Sunder Das and his colleagues will have to take a call after the two Tests and looking at his batting form.”

“After West Indies, we have no Tests till December-end when the team travels to South Africa. So there is enough time for selectors to deliberate and take a decision. By then the fifth selector (new chairman) will also join the panel and a decision can be taken,” the source added.

After taking on the captaincy, Rohit has led India in seven Tests and missed three – one in England due to COVID-19 and two against Bangladesh due to split webbing. Rohit has scored 390 runs in those seven matches at an average of 35.45 with his 120 against Australia in Nagpur Test of the Border-Gavaskar series being the highlight.

The source also told PTI that Rohit wasn’t keen on taking the Test captaincy but erstwhile president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah convinced him to do so.

“The two top men at that time (former president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah) had to convince him to take up the role once KL Rahul failed to impress as a captain in South Africa,” the source said.

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