India’s Test captaincy in flux: Will Virat Kohli take over from Rohit Sharma?

Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (Pic: AFP)

India captain Rohit Sharma's future in the Test setup appears uncertain, with speculation growing that he may no longer be part of the team after the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia.

Rohit has faced intense criticism for his recent struggles with the bat, and his leadership has been questioned following India's home Test series loss to New Zealand. A report in the Times of India suggests that while Rohit's retirement from Test cricket may not be immediate, he is unlikely to feature in plans beyond the series against Australia. This uncertainty surrounding Rohit's role could create instability in the team, prompting discussions about the possibility of Virat Kohli stepping back into the leadership role.

Kohli, who stepped down as India's most successful Test captain, has been increasingly vocal on the field, frequently addressing team huddles. Under Kohli's leadership, India enjoyed considerable success, including a historic 2-1 series win in Australia in 2018/19. His potential return to captaincy could be due to the selectors' lack of faith in the younger players to take up the responsibility.

Reports over the past few days have suggested that Rohit may not play in the series-deciding Test in Sydney, which begins on Friday. India head coach Gautam Gambhir did not rule out the possibility of Rohit being left out, stating that the final decision on the playing XI would be made after assessing the pitch on match day.

"Everything is fine with Rohit and I don't think it's anything traditional. The head coach is here and that should be good enough. We are going to have a look at the wicket and finalise (the team) tomorrow," Gambhir said in a press conference.

When asked again if Rohit would be part of the playing XI, Gambhir responded, "The answer remains the same."

(With agency inputs)