Ajit Agarkar, the Chairman of Selectors for the Board of Control for Cricket in India, stated on Saturday that it was a tough choice to remove Rohit Sharma from captaincy.
”Rohit Sharma has been communicated about change of captaincy. Even if Rohit wouldn’t have won Champions Trophy, this was a difficult decision,” following the announcement of the teams for the forthcoming white-ball tour of Australia, Agarkar told media in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
”How Rohit has taken the decision to change captain is between him and selection committee”, Agarkar added.
Agarkar’s response to the question of whether Rohit and Kohli would both participate in the 2027 ODI World Cup lacked conviction.
”Yes. I mean that is the format they are playing at the moment and we (have) picked them. As far as the 2027 (ODI) World Cup is concerned, I don’t think we need to talk about it today, obviously with the captaincy change that’s generally the thought,” said Agarkar.
Agarkar further emphasized how unfeasible it is to have a new captain for every format.
”It’s practically impossible to have three captains for three formats. We don’t play too many ODIs and the focus is on T20 World Cup. Plan is to give Gill enough time to adjust,” Agarkar added.
”Obviously, at some stage, you have got to start looking at where the next World Cup is, it’s also a format which is played the least now, so you don’t get that many games to actually give the next guy or if there is going to be another guy that much time to prepare himself or plan.”
The former India pacer also stated: ”We have made it clear that if guys are free they should be playing domestic cricket.”
