A tumultuous road awaits Rohit Sharma in ODIs ahead, reckons Sunil Gavaskar
The announcement of the India squad for Australia Tour was arguably the most-awaited update in recent times. But as it arrived, shock overshadowed the excitement of Indian fans. The ODI squad for the India Tour of Australia listed Shubman Gill as the captain. Meanwhile, the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli was stamped by the veterans being part of the unit. However, their comeback, for the first time since the ICC Champions Trophy, was marred by the hints that the squad announcement conveyed loudly. Gill's appointment as the India ODI captain, and the subsequent explanation by Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector, all but ruled out the possibility of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, especially the latter, playing in the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup.
Rohit Sharma uncertain for 2027 ICC ODI World Cup, appointment of Shubman Gill as India ODI captain justified: Sunil Gavaskar
Two years from now, the India squad will head to South Africa for the next edition of the ODI World Cup, touted as the most prestigious ICC crown to win. The BCCI, meanwhile, has already begun executing its plan for the marquee tournament. Rohit Sharma, the 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 ICC Champions Trophy-winning captain of India, has been replaced by the young Shubman Gill as the India ODI captain. Gill is clearly BCCI's first choice to become India's all-format captain moving forward, as confirmed by Ajit Agarkar, who explained that it is 'practically impossible' to have different captains across formats.
Rohit Sharma will be touching 40 by the time the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup takes off in South Africa. Many believe that a leadership transition was impending, and with Gill already made the Test captain, it was a clear choice on BCCI's part to onboard the youngster as the ODI skipper as well. However, what has irked many is the way the board has gone about the transition. Furthermore, the chief selector has insinuated that India's plans for the ODI World Cup do not involve Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
While Ajit Agarkar opted to say that the seniors remain 'non-committal' about the 2027 ODI World Cup, inside reports suggest otherwise. According to the latest reports, Agarkar, along with the Indian head coach, Gautam Gambhir, do not see the seniors as reliable prospects for the marquee tournament. Soon, the BCCI may even start the process of phasing out the seniors from ODIs, the sole format in which Rohit and Kohli are still active.
Meanwhile, as the likes of Gambhir and Agarkar come under scrutiny for the recent developments following the announcement of the India squad for Australia Tour, Sunil Gavaskar has offered a hard-hitting perspective. The former Indian skipper put his weight behind the decision to appoint Shubman Gill as the India ODI captain ahead of the Australia series. The veteran remarked that even Rohit would agree with the move, knowing that the transition is the need of the hour with the 2027 ODI World Cup scheduled ahead.
Not mincing his words, Gavaskar highlighted the course ahead for Rohit Sharma. Shedding light on the sporadic spread of ODIs in the India cricket schedule, he pointed out the lack of game time for the senior batsman. The former Indian legend opined that if Rohit's place in the squad for the marquee tournament were not certain, then the appointment of Gill as the leader would be a justified move.
"We don't know whether Rohit Sharma will be ready for the 2027 World Cup. He only plays ODIs now, and if we see the international calendar, the Indian team isn't playing too many ODIs. Bilateral tours mostly include Tests and T20Is. If he only plays 5-7 ODIs in a year, he won't get that kind of practice, which you need for a big tournament like a World Cup. If his place in the team isn't certain, the decision to prepare Shubman Gill was taken," Gavaskar said.
"Team comes from. Personally, he has done a lot, won us the Champions Trophy and the T20 World Cup before that. There's no two ways about his captaincy. But even he (Rohit Sharma) agrees with this decision because if you need to think two years ahead, then a young captain needs to be prepared. And this is the thought process the selection committee went ahead with," he added.
The Australia Tour, starting on 19th October with the three-match ODI series kicking off first, will see Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli mark their return to the Indian blues after a stretch of over six months. While fans are excited to see their favorites in action again, the chatter surrounding the India squad announcement and the upcoming series suggests that their exit from this last remaining format has already been scripted.
