new delhi: The suspense over Rohit Sharma continuing as the captain of the Indian team is over. On Saturday, when the BCCI selection committee meets in Mumbai to pick the team for the ICC Champions Trophy, he will already be in as skipper.
After the drama in the last Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Sydney earlier this month, it appeared Rohit had almost decided to pack up. First, he gave a TV interview in the middle of a Test and made it clear he was not leaving. On return to Mumbai, when the BCCI top brass meet to discuss what went wrong in Australia, Rohit made it clear he was around till the Champions Trophy and the BCCI can look for the next captain in coming months.
The last few days Rohit has been at practice with the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team. For those speculating he will play in the Ranji Trophy, he will first play in the ODI series against England and will then lead the Men in Blue in Dubai. Whatever lack of form one saw from Rohit in Test cricket, he is a different beast when he plays limited-overs cricket.
India have not played too many ODIs recently but the selection committee has imposed faith in the Mumbai superstar. Given all the gossip over differences between him and coach Gautam Gambhir, Rohit is a hardened professional who will lead from the front. At the same time, there should be no doubt over Virat Kohli as well when the selectors meet on Saturday.
Meanwhile, The selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, will convene here on Saturday to pick India’s squad for the Champions Trophy, and they will have to deal with two tricky scenarios — the fitness of premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah and how to fit in Yashasvi Jaiswal in the provisional 15.