Imran Khan was nearly 40 when he hand-held Pakistan to the 1992 World Cup title. By the time the 2027 50-overs World Cup is upon us, Rohit Sharma will also be 40. But, unlike The Khan, Rohit Sharma wouldn’t have a fairytale farewell. The national selectors ended his ODI captaincy the other day by naming 25-year-old Shubman Gill as his replacement. It was an unusual and unexpected decision with no precedent.
Only the eclectic with no worldly desires or ambitions would have remained unaffected by the demotion. As for Rohit Sharma, he has been a proud captain, a silent chaser of grand dreams and a winner of two ICC tournaments in a matter of months — a rare achievement for a nation that isn’t Australia and that has a long history of World Cup heartbreaks.
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.
Former India international, Mohammed Kaif, has added himself to the list of names who feel that Rohit Sharma deserved a run at the helm till the 2027 ODI World Cup. Ajit Agarkar, while speaking on the change, argued that it is ‘practically impossible’ to run three captains across formats, hence the handover. The call is strategic. The timing, though, is what Kaif challenges.
Mohammad Kaif makes a bold prediction regarding Rohit Sharma’s participation in 2027 ODI World Cup
Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has made a bold statement regarding Rohit Sharma’s potential participation in the 2027 ODI World Cup. The Mumbai batter was recently relieved of his leadership duties, with Shubman Gill appointed as India’s new ODI captain ahead of the three-match series against Australia, starting on October 19.
Over the past few months, there has been ongoing speculation about Rohit’s participation in the mega event, which has only intensified after he was relieved of his captaincy duties. However, Kaif believes that despite no longer leading the side, Rohit will feature in the 2027 World Cup as an opener.
He also noted that the veteran batter is likely to excel on South African pitches, where the tournament will be co-hosted alongside Zimbabwe and Namibia. Speaking during his YouTube live session on Friday, October 10, Kaif said:
“He will definitely play, boss. Look, the captaincy may have been taken away from him, but I believe that as an opener, Rohit Sharma will do his job. You need an experienced batter in the side. You can’t go to South Africa, where the World Cup will be played, with an entirely young team. Sometimes in those seaming conditions, the ball moves a lot and the pitches are bouncy. If you take only new players there, they’ll get exposed.”
“That’s why I feel you need a player who can handle the bounce, who can pull and cut the rising deliveries just like Rohit Sharma does. On those kinds of pitches, I believe Rohit Sharma will perform even better. His batting style as an opener suits such conditions perfectly. He plays the rising ball, the one that bounces from the front, extremely well. Among all the players you can name, Rohit Sharma is the only one who handles that rising delivery so effectively,” he added.
Rohit Sharma has played 273 ODIs, scoring 11,168 runs in 265 innings at an impressive average of 48.76, including 58 half-centuries and 32 centuries.During the same interaction, Mohammad Kaif emphasized that Team India will need the experience of veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to succeed in the 2027 ODI World Cup, saying:
“Just look at his numbers, his years of experience. On a big stage like the World Cup, you need players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, players who have seen the world and experienced ups and downs. In a tournament like the World Cup, you’re going to lose a game or two in between, then you’ll need to make a comeback.
You’ll face those do-or-die matches where you must win to reach the quarterfinals or top four. In such crucial situations, the roles of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli become absolutely vital.”
The duo of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have retired from Tests and T20Is but continue to represent India in the 50-over format. 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