With India’s white-ball tour of Australia around the corner, the BCCI selectors are all set to hold a meeting with Rohit Sharma over the ODI captaincy, Cricbuzz reported.
According to the report, captaincy remains a point of debate among the selectors and they are going to bring the subject up for discussion with Rohit, who is expected to be included in the squad but nothing has been confirmed on his position as skipper.
"The defining point of the selection meeting, however, will be the captaincy for the ODIs - specifically, whether Rohit will be retained as captain. It is understood that the selectors plan to discuss the matter with him directly. Meanwhile, Rohit cleared his fitness test at the BCCI centre of excellence in Bengaluru recently," the report said.
The selectors are likely to discuss the matter on Saturday (October), but there is no clarity yet on the squad announcement.
Hardik Pandya (quadriceps injury) and Rishabh Pant (recovering from foot fracture) won't be available and Test skipper Shubman Gill, who has featured in the Asia Cup and within three days is playing a two-Test series against the West Indies, will also need to look after his body. The selectors might ask Gill to rest from either ODIs or T20Is or both.
Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been training intensely ahead of their much-awaited return to international cricket after a seven-month hiatus.
There is also no reason to remove Rohit from the leadership role unless he himself wants to focus on his batting. Earlier their year, he led India to the Champions Trophy triumph.
Rohit and Kohli have retired from Tests and T20Is. ODI format remains their only international commitment, hence, there are questions about their participation in the next ODI World Cup, slated to be held in South Africa in 2027.
As per BCCI sources, since there are only nine ODIs this season -- three away games against Australia and six home games at the end of the year -- a decision might not be taken in haste.
The priority at the moment rests with the T20 World Cup early next year at home, and gaining the maximum WTC points from the four home Tests in 2025.
There could be a few permutations and combinations at play since there will be eight games, three ODIs and five T20Is, on the tour of Australia.
The last match of the T20I series is on November 8 and it will be followed by India’s home Test series against South Africa, scheduled to get underway on November 14 in Kolkata.
(With PTI Inputs)
