Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has made a bold claim regarding the future of Rohit Sharma’s captaincy, suggesting that the 37-year-old opener could step down as India’s captain after the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia, should his disappointing run with the bat continue. Gavaskar’s remarks came amid growing concerns about Rohit’s form in recent months.
Rohit, who has been at the helm of Indian cricket’s leadership for a while now, has faced significant criticism following a lean patch with the bat. His struggles were evident during the home Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, where he managed one of his worst performances with the bat. The concerns over his form continued as he arrived in Australia for the ongoing Test series, where his performance remained far from impressive.
In a bid to accommodate the in-form KL Rahul in the opening spot, Rohit was pushed down the order to bat at No. 6 in the first two Tests. However, his troubles persisted, as he could only manage a mere 19 runs in the three innings he played during the series, further intensifying questions about his place in the team.
Amid the mounting criticism, a moment from the Brisbane Test sparked widespread speculation regarding Rohit’s future in the format. After being dismissed by Pat Cummins on Monday, Rohit left his gloves in front of the dugout, which led to a viral social media post, with fans questioning whether this was an indication of his potential retirement from Test cricket.
Gavaskar, speaking on Day 5 of the Gabba Test, where the opening session was washed out due to rain, stated that Rohit would not wait for the selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, to make a decision on his future as captain. According to Gavaskar, if Rohit’s poor form continues in the next two Tests, in Melbourne and Sydney, he would likely take the call himself and step down from the captaincy.
“I think Rohit obviously will get the opportunity to play in the next couple of matches, that’s for sure. But maybe at the end of it, if he hasn’t scored runs, my feeling is that he himself will take the call,” Gavaskar said. He further emphasized that Rohit is a conscientious cricketer who deeply cares about the Indian team and wouldn’t want to remain a burden if his performance continues to falter.
In the last 13 innings, Rohit has managed to score just 152 runs, with only one half-century, at an average of 11.83, which adds weight to the concerns about his future as both captain and player.
