How many times have you ever seen a Captain of a side himself getting dropped out of the side due to a reason?
Was It Rohit Sharma’s Decision To Rest?
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has left everyone stunned when it was declared that he won’t be in the playing eleven for the fifth and final test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. This has raised an all-round furore as people are now left wondering whether it was Rohit Sharma who took the decision to rest or it was the team management who is sugarcoating things?
Stand-In Skipper, Bumrah Confesses The Reason
Rohit Sharma is indeed one of the master architects who have been successful in India’s success story for recent times as well as to the 2024 T20 World Cup triumph. He was not found in the playing eleven for the series decider against Australia. It was official communication from the Indian stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah right at the toss that he has been ‘rested’ for the Sydney test. Since the official declaration was to come from Bumrah, a bundle of speculations about the reasons for dropping Rohit Sharma took place; in this way, some ambiguity and vagueness behind the event was created.
Is Rohit Sharma The First Indian Captain To Be Dropped?
This is the first time in a while that an Indian captain has been left out of the playing 11 in the mid-series. Historically, Polly Umrigar was dropped from the Indian test side against the West Indies. The second incident was when Sourav Ganguly was left out after a string of poor scores and a strained relationship with coach Greg Chapell.
Rohit Sharma’s Test Career
The exclusion of Rohit Sharma has raised numerous questions due to his test career. Since his test match debut in 2013, Rohit has scored more than 4300 runs in 67 Tests with 12 centuries at an average of 40.57 runs.
Rohit Sharma’s Last Chance In Limited-Overs Cricket
Just when his international future hangs in the balance, February’s 2025 ICC Champions Trophy might just become Rohit Sharma’s last crack at delivering on the international platform. India is all set to fight it out against other teams that are competing at the cricketing event that begins on February 19, 2025 and would end on March 9, 2025 across Pakistan and the UAE. It could very well be the swansong for one-day and limited-overs cricket careers of the experienced campaigner in Rohit Sharma, who would be looking at one final hurrah on the international field.
As the Indian Cricket Team sets off to Sydney without the skipper, everyone is thinking, has this finally been the last word on Rohit Sharma’s test match career or one last go at redemption? Only time will tell.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye
