3 January: Rohit Sharma’s 2024 season ended poorly, and his 2025 campaign hasn’t started off well either. Following the loss in the Melbourne Test, the new year started exactly where it finished in 2024, with world cricket ablaze with rumors over Rohit’s future in Test cricket. And it finally reached its zenith on Thursday, when the captain of India “opted out” of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series final against Australia in Sydney due to his diminishing batting output. The BCCI’s selection committee has the chance to consider leadership alternatives for the next ICC Champions Trophy because Rohit Sharma has not yet clarified his future in the format.
Rohit Sharma with Hardik Pandya
After India won the T20 World Cup in June of last year, Rohit resigned from the T20I format, and a month later, Suryakumar Yadav assumed leadership. Jasprit Bumrah, who previously guided India to a resounding victory in Perth, appears ready to lead the national squad in the classic format of Test cricket.
A report in My Khel suggested that the BCCI is already looking into leadership choices in ODI cricket, given the growing rumors regarding Rohit’s future in all formats and the Indian team’s apparent change under head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Hardik Pandya’s growing importance in ODI format
According to the article, Hardik Pandya may become the next leader if Rohit’s performance as an ODI captain is questioned or if the selectors choose to relieve the 37-year-old of some of his responsibilities. Pandya already has the experience of having led the team across white-ball formats over the last two years.
“Hardik has the knack for leading in high-pressure situations, and his experience as an all-rounder and leader makes him an ideal choice for an ICC tournament like the Champions Trophy,” a source told MyKhel.
For the most part, India has opposed divided captaincy. However, it seems doubtful that India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, will be selected as captain for 50-overs cricket given that he hasn’t solidified his position in the ODI lineup.
Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant are two more players who might be considered to replace Rohit.
According to the report, Hardik is the most qualified candidate to replace Rohit in the ODI duties because Gill needs more time to develop into a more capable leader.
“Gill needs more grooming to mature into a leader, and SKY’s ODI performances haven’t been convincing enough. Hardik remains the most balanced option to lead India in ODIs if Rohit is unavailable,” the source added.
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