Star India batter Rohit Sharma was stripped of the ODI captaincy duties as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) didn’t want the team culture to get disturbed, according to a report. On Saturday, Test captain Shubman Gill was also handed the reins of the ODI team, replacing Rohit Sharma ahead of the three-match series against Australia later this month. On the decision to remove Rohit Sharma, BCCI’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar opined that it was ‘practically impossible’ to have three different captains across formats.
However, a report in the Times of India (TOI) has claimed that the selectors didn’t want Rohit Sharma to dictate things his own way, as they feared that it could have impacted the team culture in a negative way. The report revealed that Gautam Gambhir took the backseat in his first six months as head coach and only started interfering in team matters following the Test series defeats to New Zealand (home) and Australia (away).
Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be playing under Gill’s captaincy in Australia. While it is not clear whether the two would be able to stick around till the 2027 ODI World Cup, Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar didn’t want to face a situation where both senior players’ form suddenly “dipped.”
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s stellar career in white ball cricket
In 273 ODIs, Rohit has scored 11,168 runs at an average of 48.76, including 32 centuries and 58 fifties. He also holds the unique record of scoring three double centuries in the format. Earlier this month, Rohit was present at The Oval to witness the fifth and final Test against England, which India won by six runs to level the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2.
Rohit amassed 4,301 runs from 67 Tests at an average of 40.57, including hitting 12 centuries and 18 fifties. Rohit also led India in 24 Tests, winning 12 and losing nine games.
Rohit averaged a wonderful 42.81 in 66 innings as an opener in Tests, including hitting nine centuries and eight fifties. He also oversaw India becoming runners-up in the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) final after losing to Australia at The Oval. On the other hand Virat Kohli the GOAT in ODI Cricket has amassed 14181 runs at an average of 57.88 with 51 ODI centuries in 302 matches.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli set to tour Australia but only as players
India have recently announced their squad for the upcoming white ball series in Australia. In what came as a big surprise, Rohit Sharma was removed from captaincy of the ODI format, and Shubman Gill was handed over the role.Factually, the shift is clear for India. Shubman Gill leads in the ODIs in Australia while Iyer acts as his deputy. The selectors want continuity and a long runway for a young leader before the 2027 World Cup.
The move by the Indian management received mixed reactions. While some welcomed the thought of India trying to move ahead, some criticised the sudden end of the Rohit Sharma era.
BCCI Was Divided Over Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli’s Futures in ODI cricket
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee announced the decision to appoint Shubman Gill as the new ODI captain on Saturday, when the squad for the limited-overs tour of Australia was named. The announcement left many in the cricketing sphere perplexed, wondering what Rohit Sharma had done wrong to be removed as the team’s skipper.
While the selection committee chief, Ajit Agarkar, explained some reasons behind the move, he also hinted that Rohit’s guarantee in the team’s future ODI plans was lacking. The same uncertainty applies to Virat Kohli, who, like Rohit, remains an active player only in one-day international cricket.
A report in the Times of India claimed that informal, yet crucial, discussions within the BCCI, selection committee, and team management circles led to a blueprint for the 2027 World Cup. Many suggested that Gill should be installed as the captain in the 50-over format.
The biggest challenge in this transition was managing Rohit Sharma, who had just led India to the Champions Trophy title and maintained strong form in white-ball cricket. Some argued that the two-year gap to the World Cup was too long, and since Rohit is restricted to only ODI cricket, he would not receive sufficient match practice.
Despite this, Rohit continued to meet all fitness requirements, but his lack of recent game time-a point hinted at by Ajit Agarkar during a press conference on Saturday-was a decisive factor. His last competitive match was in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Mumbai Indians (MI), and his last international outing was the Champions Trophy final.
The report further claims that opinions were divided initially due to Rohit’s history as one of India’s most successful white-ball captains. However, as the Australia tour approached, the divide began to diminish, with most of the top brass agreeing on the change.
What is a little surprising is that both Rohit and Virat Kohli were being assessed similarly for the ODI format, despite a two-year age gap and the difference in their fitness levels.
As per the report, the reasoning was: “If we keep dragging things, it will only get complicated. And with two players, one 38 (Rohit) and other 36 (Kohli), you can’t place the early bets. Yes, even the younger ones could lose form and fitness but it’s the safer bet.”
Former India batter Aakash Chopra feels Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be part of India’s 2027 ODI World Cup squad if they continue to perform at the highest level. Amid uncertainty over their ODI future, the duo was named in India’s 15-man squad for the three-match ODI series, starting October 19.
Recent reports have claimed that Rohit and Kohli’s selection, after the upcoming tour of Australia, will be completely based on merit. Reacting to the rumours, Chopra noted that Indian team’s selection has always been based on performance, instead of favouritism or quota.
Aakash Chopra sents blunt warning to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli ahead of 3 match ODI series vs Australia
Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli would be a part of the Men in Blue’s 2027 World Cup squad as long as they continue to perform consistently. He noted that the Indian team’s selection has always been based on merit, with there being no favoritism or quota system.
Rohit and Kohli have been picked in the Indian squad for the upcoming ODI series against Australia. However, Rohit has not been retained as the skipper, with Shubman Gill being given the captaincy reins. In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ the former India opener expressed surprise over an article stating that Rohit and Kohli’s future ODI selection would be merit-based.
“The preparations are on for the second Test, but the focus is more on the big news currently. The big news is that Rohit Sharma is not there as a captain, and Virat Kohli is there, but nobody knows what the road ahead will be. I read an article where it was written that their selection will be merit-based,” Chopra said
“I am wondering when their selection was not merit-based. Meritocracy only works. There is no favoritism or quota system here. India are doing well because whoever is good plays here. If you are good, you will play for India, and if you do well consistently, you will remain in the team,” he added.
Aakash Chopra highlighted that players, however great they might be, are dropped if their form wavers. While observing that this has been seen with all players, he termed the article slightly misleading.In the same video, Aakash Chopra acknowledged that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have performed well in ODIs lately. However, he pointed out that the duo won’t get frequent chances to showcase their form and class.
“If you see their last 15 ODIs, you would say their numbers are good. They have scored runs and the strike rate has been decent. It’s said form is temporary, class is permanent. However, since you do not play any other format, knowing that form and seeing that class repeatedly won’t be that frequent. That’s the truth,” Chopra said.
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that single-format players find it more difficult to have a long career.
“It’s always the case that all-format players have a slightly longer career span. They are always in your thoughts. However, it’s very difficult for single-format players, whether you are playing only Tests, ODIs, or T20Is. Not playing any cricket is a problem. The gaps are becoming very long. That is not a good thing,” Chopra elaborated.
Aakash Chopra urged Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Ranji Trophy, whenever they get a chance, to stay in touch with the game.
To conclude, the analyst pointed out that the two modern batting greats potentially playing the 2027 World Cup under Shubman Gill’s captaincy won’t be odd at all, highlighting that Sachin Tendulkar played the 2011 World Cup and a plethora of other matches under MS Dhoni’s leadership.
While both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are part of the three-match ODI series against Australia, neither of them is a certainty in the format for the future, especially as the BCCI looks to solidify its plans for the ODI World Cup 2027.
Rohit Sharma scored 47 runs off 31 balls in the final against Australia. India lost the match by six wickets. The right-hander, however, emerged as one of the leading run-scorers in the tournament. He scored 597 runs in 11 innings, including a ton and three half-centuries. Since then, he has amassed 459 runs in 11 ODIs at an average of 41.73 with the help of one century and three fifties.
Shubman Gill will lead India for the first time in ODIs when the Men in Blue take on Australia in the opening match of the three-game series in Perth on Sunday, October 19. Before the ODIs in Australia, Shubman Gill will captain India in the second and final match of a two-Test series in Delhi, starting October 10.
Also Read: ENG vs IND : Shubman Gill Appointed Test Skipper For Red Ball