Doubts Arise Over Rohit Sharma's Future as India Test Captain

India's upcoming ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle has raised concerns about the team's direction in red-ball cricket. Influential figures like Ravi Shastri have called for tough decisions to secure the team's future, which raises doubts about the fate of senior players.

Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Ajinkya Rahane have been vital to India's Test squad for a while, but their age suggests they may have to make way for younger talent soon.

Rohit, who is currently the Test captain, will be 38 by the end of the ongoing WTC cycle. This begs the question of whether it is wise for him to continue in that role.

Former India opener and commentator Aakash Chopra acknowledges Rohit's abilities as a captain but expresses uncertainty about whether the team management will keep him in that position in two years.

According to Chopra, Rohit Sharma is undoubtedly a good captain who understands the game well and avoids common mistakes. However, the focus should be on the playing XI for the WTC final and the type of pitches they play on at home. These decisions are made by the team management, and Rohit would have been part of the think-tank when Virat Kohli was the captain. Now, Kohli will also be part of that decision-making group. The responsibility ultimately lies with the captain who goes for the toss. The attention has now shifted to Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid, just as it was previously on Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri. Unfortunately, this is the current reality.

Chopra believes that Rohit, along with other senior players who participate in all three formats, may no longer be able to take breaks as frequently. Looking ahead two years into the future, by 2025, Rohit could still be playing Test cricket if he desires. Committing to six series is a considerable time span. While Rohit has missed cricket in the past, the current state of Indian cricket suggests that he may not be granted as many breaks as before.

Chopra emphasizes that Rohit is a capable captain and a skilled Test batter. However, he is not completely certain if the future will be the same for him. Two WTC cycles have passed, two finals have been reached, but victory has eluded them so far. Age is also not on Rohit's side, adding to the challenges he faces. This is the unfortunate reality, according to Chopra.