NEW DELHI: Nobody is aware of what’s going on in the thoughts of India’s captain Rohit Sharma. He has taken T20Is off his schedule, the BCCI has already introduced him because the captain for subsequent 12 months’s ICC Champions Trophy, and there is a rising name for his head in check cricket after a poor run as batsman and skipper for the reason that begin of residence season. If in any respect he is considering full or partial worldwide retirement, what’s the proper time?
Of course, it is solely Rohit’s name as a result of it is about him, about his profession, about his reference to the game that has made him what he’s right now to hundreds of thousands of cricket followers around the globe. In a soliloquy, Rohit should be saying: “I never thought 2024 would end that way, especially after the high of T20 World Cup win. Where did it all go wrong?”
The fact that Rohit held Ravichandran Ashwin back for a Test from announcing retirement is evidently because he still saw a role for him in the team. Does he see the same for himself — in Tests, ODIs or both? Again, only Rohit knows that.
And if he wants to quit international cricket altogether, will the conclusion of the Champions Trophy be the best time? Or will he take a cue from Ashwin’s decision and listen to his heart more than anything else?
It’s going to be difficult being Rohit Sharma in 2025.
In retrospect, perhaps things would have panned out differently had India’s pride not been damaged by the whitewash at home against New Zealand. Or maybe if Rohit had decided to open batting right after joining the team from the second Test in Australia and strung together a couple of confidence-building knocks.
Instead, he found himself in the ‘middle’ of nowhere.
Hindsight also suggests Jasprit Bumrah could have been asked to lead again in Melbourne, especially after India had their backs to the wall during the defeat in Adelaide and the fighting draw in Brisbane.
Bumrah has been high on confidence both as a bowler and a leader, plus the load of captaincy would have been off Rohit’s shoulders and he could have focused only on getting back among the runs, as an opener or lower down the order.
From the outside, it’s perplexing what role chief coach Gautam Gambhir is playing in trying to help Rohit sort himself out. Of course, Rohit is mature enough to take tough calls, which he showed for two Tests when he allowed KL Rahul to continue opening.
But could, or did, Gambhir step up and suggest to the skipper that ‘there’s no harm in Bumrah leading again in Melbourne while you put all your energy into batting’.
These are issues solely somebody who’s a part of the crew can inform, however there isn’t any doubt that Rohit is at the moment being seen because the elephant in the room, except he has already taken a choice and is simply ready for the Australia tour to recover from.
Imagine being Rohit Sharma in 2025.
