MUMBAI: Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer has sparked a fresh debate over the leadership changes in Indian cricket, saying Rohit Sharma should have been allowed to continue as captain of both the ODI team and Mumbai Indians.
Despite questions over his fitness and future, Rohit has continued to perform strongly with the bat.
Over the past year, there have been major changes in the leadership of both the Indian team and the IPL franchise. Shubman Gill took over as India’s ODI captain during the tour of Australia last year, while Hardik Pandya was appointed Mumbai Indians captain ahead of the 2024 IPL season.
Jaffer disagreed with both decisions and said Rohit should have been allowed to continue as India’s ODI captain until the 2027 ODI World Cup. He added that the captaincy could have been handed over to Gill after the tournament.
“Rohit should have been retained as the ODI captain. He should have continued as the captain of Mumbai Indians as well. Shubman Gill could have taken over the captaincy after the World Cup,” Jaffer said.
Jaffer’s comments came after Rohit’s impressive performance in the ODI series against the West Indies. Rohit scored 225 runs in three innings, including a century and a half-century, with 101 as his highest score. He was also India’s second-highest run-scorer in the series.
Although Rohit has stepped down as captain, he continues to make an impact with the bat. If he maintains this form, he is expected to remain in contention for a place in India’s squad for the ODI World Cup in South Africa.