With IPL 2025 in full flow, the India Cricket Team has taken a backseat for the moment. But not for long. There is a lot at stake for Team India immediately after IPL as they travel to England for a five-match Test series. After a 1-3 drubbing in Australia, with captain Rohit Sharma dropping himself from the Playing XI in the final Test, his spot is by no means secured. As the IND vs ENG Test series is coming up in June, the BCCI Selection Committee has to decide Rohit’s fate. However, the problem remains with Test captaincy if Rohit is not selected in the Test team based on form and if Jasprit Bumrah is not fit to lead. Who then?
While there have been reports of Rohit to lead in England and some saying he would pull out of the tour, nothing is confirmed as of now. In fact, BCCI hasn’t even discussed Rohit’s future with head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar on England.
“No discussion has taken place as of yet. We will discuss this when the time is right,” a senior BCCI official told InsideSport.
Will Rohit Sharma lead in England?
The 37-year-old has already called it a time on T20Is. With the ODI World Cup still two years away, Rohit refused to decide his future in the 50-over format. His Test records have been so poor in the last season that it will be very difficult to justify his role in India Test side, let alone captaincy.
Rohit Sharma in 2024-25 red-ball season
| Series | Inns | Runs | Avg | 50/100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| vs Bangladesh | 4 | 42 | 10.5 | 0/0 |
| vs New Zealand | 6 | 91 | 15.15 | 1/0 |
| vs Australia | 5 | 31 | 6.2 | 0/0 |
| Ranji Trophy | 2 | 31 | 15.5 | 0/0 |
| Overall | 17 | 195 | 11.47 | 1/0 |
Rohit averaged 10.50 against Bangladesh, 15.16 against New Zealand and 6.20 against Australia. Overall, in 15 innings in the last red-ball season, Rohit scored 164 runs at an average of 10.93 and had 10 single-digit scores in those innings. In the only Ranji Trophy innings after the Australia tour, Rohit perished for 3 and 28. While his ODI form has been decent, the question remains: how do the selectors justify his place in the Test team based on white-ball form?
“He’ll take a call on his career, but I won’t be shocked at all if he retires because he’s not getting any younger. There are other young players in the wings, there’s Shubman Gill, a player of his quality, averaging over 40 in the year 2024 and not playing. It tricks your brain as to what he is doing sitting on the bench and warming it. So I won’t be surprised, but it’s his call,” former India head coach Ravi Shastri said ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy.
But there is an optimism around Rohit if Bumrah is not fit for the England tour. He could still be a stop-gap solution before BCCI takes a call on the permanent captain.
Hence, as of now, Rohit remains non-committal on his Test future, and so do the selectors. As we move to the business end of IPL 2025, it will be clear if Rohit will fly to England.
India’s Test captaincy conundrum
In England, India must make a statement. They have lost two consecutive Test series, including a whitewash against New Zealand at home. With no series win in England since 1986, it remains a blot on India’s storied cricket history in recent times. Hence, BCCI cannot suddenly appoint a youngster to lead the side.
Jasprit Bumrah, the world’s best bowler at the moment, is the ideal choice for the job. However, there is an uncertainty over his availability. Bumrah hasn’t joined Mumbai Indians for IPL 2025. He is continuing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy after yet another lower back issue. If he returns to action in IPL and is fit to play in England, he will lead India, ending Rohit Sharma’s Test reign.
“There are many in the team with captaincy experience. They have led their teams in IPL in tough situations. So, it’s not that we don’t have options. But it is for the selectors to decide when the time is right. Rohit, Bumrah are still part of the captaincy group,” the official said.
However, if he is ruled out, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant are two options India have with Virat Kohli mentoring both. By no means are they inexperienced, even though they are young. But asking either of them to lead in England without captaining the sides in a Test could be tricky. KL Rahul remains another option, having led India in 3 Tests. But as of now, there is no permanent captaincy candidate in Test other than Bumrah.
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