NEW DELHI: Rohit Sharma‘s captaincy in Test cricket is not under immediate threat, but he will need to produce significant performances in the upcoming series against West Indies to dispel doubts about his leadership in the traditional format.
Rohit is set to lead the Indian team in the two-Test series against West Indies, and it is believed that unless he decides to opt out himself, he will continue to lead the side.However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the national selection committee may face pressure to make a tough decision if Rohit fails to deliver a substantial innings in either Dominica or Port of Spain during the second Test.

“There are baseless rumours about Rohit being removed from captaincy. However, whether he will continue as captain for the entire two-year World Test Championship (WTC) cycle is a significant question, considering he will be nearly 38 by the end of the third edition in 2025,” a senior BCCI source revealed to PTI on condition of anonymity.

“At present, I believe that Shiv Sunder Das and his colleagues will assess Rohit’s batting form after the two Tests before taking any decision.”
The BCCI operates differently from other sporting organisations, preferring not to make decisions during times of intense criticism.

“After the West Indies tour, we have no Test matches until the end of December when the team travels to South Africa. This provides enough time for the selectors to deliberate and make a decision. By then, the fifth selector (new chairman) will have joined the panel, and a decision can be made,” the source added.

Insiders aware of developments in Indian cricket know that when Virat Kohli stepped down as Test captain following a series defeat in South Africa, Rohit was initially reluctant to take on the role in the longest format due to uncertainties about his body’s durability.
“At that time, the two top officials (former president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah) had to convince him to accept the role after KL Rahul failed to impress as captain in South Africa,” the source revealed.

Apart from a stylish 120 against Australia on a challenging Nagpur pitch, Rohit hasn’t consistently delivered the kind of runs expected from a player of his calibre.
Since taking over the Test captaincy in 2022, Rohit has played 10 Tests, missing three due to various reasons. In seven Tests, he scored 390 runs in 11 completed innings, averaging 35.45 with a single century and no other score above 50. During the same period, Virat Kohli played all 10 Tests, scoring 517 runs in 17 innings, with a high score of 186 against Australia in Ahmedabad.

Cheteshwar Pujara, in the same phase, played eight Tests and accumulated 482 runs in 14 innings, with two unbeaten knocks, averaging 40.12. However, it should be noted that his scores of 90 and 102 came against a relatively weak Bangladesh bowling attack.
The selectors understand that in the next three years, relying on three senior players above the age of 35 as the top-order of the Indian team may not be sustainable. Hence, tough decisions will need to be made, considering the future of the team.
(With inputs from PTI)