Struggling for runs in the longest format of the game lately, India skipper Rohit Sharma decided to opt out of the fifth and final Test against Australia, which began on Friday (January 3) at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Rohit was all over the place in the ongoing tour Down Under, managing just 31 runs in five innings at an abysmal average of 6.20 -- the lowest by a touring captain on Australian soil.
Speculations over his Test future gained momentum after India lost the Boxing Day match in Melbourne to concede a 1-2 lead in the five-Test series.
Now, reports are claiming that the Melbourne Test may have been Rohit’s last for India, considering that the 37-year-old is unlikely to be in the scheme of things for India’s next WTC cycle, which begins with the tour of England later this year.
Rohit Sharma called time on his T20I career after leading India to the T20 World Cup triumph last June, and Suryakumar Yadav took over the reins a month later. Jasprit Bumrah, who led India to an emphatic victory in the BGT opener at Perth, looks poised to captain the national team in Test cricket.
With growing speculations on Rohit's international future, a report published in My Khel claimed that the BCCI is already exploring leadership options in the ODI format.
The report further suggested that if Rohit's role as an ODI captain comes under scrutiny or the selectors decide to ease the burden on him, Hardik Pandya could emerge as the next leader.
The all-rounder, who has the experience of leading India in the white-ball formats, might be handed over the rein ahead of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy.
"Hardik has the knack for leading in high-pressure situations, and his experience as an all-rounder and leader makes him an ideal choice for an ICC tournament like the Champions Trophy," a source told My Khel.
The report added that with Shubman Gill still evolving as a leader, Hardik emerges as the leading candidate to take over the ODI duties from Rohit.
"Gill needs more grooming to mature into a leader, and SKY's ODI performances haven't been convincing enough. Hardik remains the most balanced option to lead India in ODIs if Rohit is unavailable," the source further said.
