Rohit Sharma’s Test captaincy future in doubt after WTC final loss, selectors to take call after WI series: Report

Touted to emulate his IPL captaincy in international stage, Rohit Sharma headed to London not just for his biggest assignment as a Test skipper, but also his first ever task on overseas soil.

But India never matched the level Australia attained throughout the course of the World Test Championship final as the team was thoroughly dominated at The Oval before incurring a 209-run loss. It was India’s second successive loss in a WTC final and second failed shot at an ICC trophy under Rohit after 2022 T20 World Cup. The WTC final result has now left a huge question on Rohit’s Test captaincy future with BCCI’s selection committee set to take a call this year.

According to a PTI report, Rohit is likely to lead the Indian side in their opener to the WTC 2023/25 cycle where they face West Indies in a two-match series. However, the selectors might take a big call if Rohit fails to live up to the expectation as a batter in the two matches.

“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 in know of things 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.”

India will shift their focus on ODI World Cup preparation post the West Indies Test series and will only return to the format at the end of the tournament at home which begins from October onwards.

“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, he added.

The report further revealed that Rohit was reluctant to take up Test captaincy after Virat Kohli had relinquished the role in January 2022 and that it was former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah who convinced him to take that role after they were left unimpressed with KL Rahul’s captaincy in that one game in South Africa.

“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 told PTI.

Rohit has so far led India in seven Tests and missed three – one in England due to COVID 19 and two in Bangladesh due to split webbing. In those seven matches, he scored 390 runs at an average of 35.45 with that knock of 120 against Australia in Nagpur being his only standout show.