In a strategic move, the Board of Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to approach Rohit Sharma, urging him to reassume the T20 captaincy ahead of the South Africa tour squad announcement on Thursday. Following last year’s T20 World Cup semi-final loss, Rohit had distanced himself from the T20 format.
BCCI Secretary Jai Shah is slated to meet Selection Committee Chairman Ajit Agarkar, discussing team compositions across all formats and outlining plans for the upcoming T20 World Cup. With regular T20 captain Hardik Pandya sidelined due to injury, the BCCI faces the choice of retaining Suryakumar Yadav or reinstating Rohit Sharma as captain.
While Rohit has expressed hesitancy about T20 international play, his successful leadership in the recent ODI World Cup has prompted the BCCI to consider him for T20 captaincy until the next T20 World Cup in June-July next year.
A BCCI source revealed, “If Rohit agrees, he will lead until the next T20 World Cup; otherwise, Suryakumar will captain in South Africa.” Player performance in the IPL will influence the decision, extending to KL Rahul’s potential captaincy role.
The article also raises concerns about workload management, as India faces a packed schedule with six limited-overs matches in 11 days, including three ODIs within five days before the Test series starting on December 26. Team composition adjustments involve the return of Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, potential exclusion of Ajinkya Rahane, and the fast bowling department’s leadership shared by Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Mohammad Siraj, and Shardul Thakur.
In the spin department, Ravindra Jadeja remains the primary choice, with options for support between Ravichandran Ashwin, Akshar Patel, or Kuldeep Yadav. The disappointing batting performance of wicketkeeper KS Bharat may lead to his inclusion if Rahul relinquishes wicketkeeping duties.
