Team India is currently going through a tough time as they are trailing 1-2 in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The batting line-up is struggling with runs at the plate and the bowlers, apart from Jasprit Bumrah, have not been in good rhythm.
But one of the biggest problems for the men in blue has been the form of their captain Rohit Sharma. Rohit’s poor results in this series have increased India’s concerns and a decision on his future will be taken after talks between him and chief selector Ajit Agarkar.
The situation is not looking good for India as the team is reportedly going through a transition phase. Recently, veteran offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin retired from all forms of cricket which puts more pressure on Rohit Sharma to accept the last call.
Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar are likely to have a discussion after BGT 2024-25.
According to Cricbuzz, Rohit Sharma is expected to lead India in the final Test of the series in Sydney despite mounting pressure on him to accept the retirement call. Unless Rohit accepts the call to sit out the game, he will continue to lead the team.
After the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Rohit’s future will be decided after talks with chief selector Ajit Agarkar. While there have been reports that Rohit and Agarkar have been in talks recently, it is believed that such discussions will take place only after the end of the series.
The selectors and team management are currently looking to get through the series smoothly and not disrupt the team mix with a big decision in the middle of a big series. Leaving Rohit out in the middle of the series can be detrimental as he is the captain of the team and has been leading the team for years.
However, there were calls for Rohit Sharma to step down as captain and hand it over to vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah also led the team in the first Test in Perth and helped India win the historic match by winning the man of the match selection.
Mark Waugh wants Rohit Sharma to step down as captain
Recently, former Australian cricketer Mark Waugh made a big statement about Rohit Sharma’s future before India’s second innings of the Melbourne Test. Waugh claimed that he will ask Rohit to step down as captain and hand it over to Jasprit Bumrah if he fails with the bat in the second innings. It happened right when Rohit was dismissed on just 9.
“If I was the coach now, it depends on what happens in the second innings, but if he doesn’t make runs, I would say, ‘Rohit, thank you for your service’,” Waugh said during the match.
Rohit Sharma makes a disappointing comeback with the bat
Rohit Sharma has had a poor run with the bat so far. He missed the first test due to the birth of his second child, but arrived in time for the next game. The Indian skipper scored 31 runs in five innings at an average of just 6.20 with a best of 10.
He came into this series with poor form from the domestic Test season in India. Rohit scored 42 runs in two Tests against Bangladesh and then scored just 91 runs in three Tests against New Zealand.
The team suffered greatly due to his poor returns and this was reflected in his captaincy. Rohit Sharma’s body language on the field speaks volumes that he is not in the best phase of his career. With just one Test remaining in the series, time is running out for him to prove he is still fit to play international cricket.
