Former India opener Aakash Chopra said that Rohit Sharma becoming the new captain of the Indian team in ODIs and T20Is was just a matter of time since Virat Kohli stepped down as T20I captain ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021.
The BCCI on December 8, confirmed the crowning of Rohit Sharma as the new ODI captain, sacking Virat Kohli from the role after five years. Though the reaction of the masses was a mixed one on this decision, many experts felt that it was the right call to take.
Rohit will begin his captaincy tenure in the 50-over format from the series against South Africa, which takes place in January. The opening batter is now India's white-ball captain and was also named the vice-captain of the Indian Test side, replacing Ajinkya Rahane.
Chopra said, that Rohit taking over the ODI captaincy ensures that the team has maintained a “distinction” between red and white-ball formats. It wasn’t going to be Kohli captaining in Tests and ODIs and Rohit in T20Is.
"Virat Kohli is still a leader of the team"- Rohit Sharma on captaining the former captain
“The day Virat Kohli left his T20 captaincy, it was a foregone conclusion that he will also lose his one-day captaincy. You would always want to go with the captain who leads the T20 team (for the ODI side).
In world cricket, you don't see a player leading the Test and ODI team not captaining the side in T20s. A distinction is always over white-ball cricket and red-ball cricket, and now we have that distinction,” Aakash Chopra said on his official YouTube channel.
Chopra, who played 10 Tests for India from 2003-04, also said that the Indian team will benefit from Rohit's “tactical acumen.”
"What he brings to the table is his tactical acumen. He is very good tactically. Rohit Sharma has always been a lucky captain, so that also helps! Rohit Sharma the batsman will have to help Rohit Sharma the captain. Indian cricket is a lot about 1-2-3 (top order), so when Rohit, Rahul, and Virat Kohli score big, it's always good for Indian cricket,” said the former India opener.
In his first T20I series as full-time 20-over captain, Rohit Sharma led the Indian team to a 3-0 whitewash of New Zealand at home.
