Gambhir bats for Jaiswal as next captain, BCCI selection committee differs

While Rohit Sharma has put the ball in BCCI’s court by stating that ‘he will remain the captain’ until the board picks the next skipper in Tests and ODIs, Team India coach Gautam Gambhir and the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee are reportedly not on the same page over the choice of his successor.

Rohit’s captaincy has come under scrutiny in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia amid his poor show with the bat.

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The 37-year-old, whose form left selectors worried, added that he will fully support his successor. It was then decided that Rohit will remain the captain in ODIs for the Champions Trophy, and the selectors will take a call on future once the tournament culminates.

At loggerheads

However, a report in Dainik Jagran has now revealed that though the matter of Rohit’s successor came up for discussion, Gambhir and the selection committee found themselves at loggerheads over their choice.

Amid the deliberations on the possibility of Jasprit Bumrah taking over the reins from Rohit, the need for a strong vice-captain was also discussed in a bid to manage the fast bowler's workload, said the report. However, Gambhir backed Yashasvi Jaiswal, while the selectors threw their weight behind Rishabh Pant to take over as the next captain in Test cricket.

Notably, Pant, who led the Delhi team in domestic cricket, captained the Indian team in the June 2022 home T20I series against South Africa, after the designated skipper KL Rahul was ruled out of the contest due to an injury.

Also read: We've probably seen Rohit Sharma for last time in Test cricket: Gavaskar, Shastri

Bumrah frontrunner

Similarly, Suryakumar was appointed as India's T20I skipper in July last year after Rohit retired from the format following the end of the T20 World Cup campaign. However, there is hardly any possibility of the right-hander taking over the role in ODI cricket after the Champions Trophy, given that he has yet to cement his place in the ODI format.

With India unlikely to have three captains for three different formats, the report added that Bumrah is likely to lead the Test and ODI team, if the selectors pick a “strong vice-captain who can lead when Bumrah takes rest, as it happens in Australia with Pat Cummins.”