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Rohit Sharma's selection for Australia tour gets questioned: ‘Agar wo captain nahi hai to phir...'
BCCI's removal of Rohit Sharma as ODI captain gets criticised, long-term planning for the 2027 World Cup is questioned.
Former India wicketkeeper and selector Saba Karim has sharply criticized the BCCI’s decision to remove Rohit Sharma from ODI captaincy just months after he led the team to Champions Trophy glory. Karim questioned the selection committee’s long-term planning for the 2027 World Cup.
Speaking on the YouTube channel Kadak, Karim challenged the decision with a pointed question that resonates deeply.
Is Rohit Sharma in the 2027 WC plans?
Saba Karim has served in several administrative posts previously. He was the national selector and later played the role of BCCI’s General Manager of Cricket Operations. The former international did not shy away from pointing out what he sees as inconsistent planning from the current management. His central argument, if the selectors genuinely believe Rohit won’t feature in the 2027 World Cup, they should have clarity about his immediate role in the squad.
“Team mein aap kyon rakh rahe hain?” (Why are you keeping him in the team?) Karim questioned. “Agar woh captain nahin hain to phir ek baat saaf hai na ki aap unka future dekh nahi rahe ki wo 2027 ke World Cup mein rahenge, to phir aap aise khiladi ko team mein nahin rakhiye jo aapko lagta hain ki 2027 mein aapke hisaab se maujood nahin rahenge,” Karim added. (If he is not captaining, then it is clear that you don’t see his future. You don’t feel that he will be a part of the 2027 World Cup. So, don’t keep a player whom you don’t feel would be a part of the 2027 World Cup.)
Notably, India’s ODI captaincy change came as the Chairperson of the Indian selection committee, Ajit Agarkar, emphasized the need to allow time for preparation for the new captain, Shubman Gill, for the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Agarkar cited the limited ODI calendar and the difficulty of managing three separate captains across formats as the reason behind the move.
The age factor of Rohit Sharma
At 38, Rohit Sharma would be approximately 40 by the time of the 2027 World Cup. While Karim acknowledges this reality, he argues that the selectors are caught between short-term success and long-term vision. Rohit Sharma’s captaincy records are unignorable; he had a 75% win rate in ODIs, the highest among Indian captains with 50 or more matches in the role, won the Champions Trophy in 2025, and time and again demonstrated himself as a captain who likes to lead from the front.
Karim further emphasized how Rohit Sharma built the team and delivered the ICC Trophy, also drawing attention to the fact that the player was concentrating only on one format. “Unhone team ko build kiya hain, unhone apko Champions Trophy aur T20 jitaya hai” (He built the team, won you the Champions Trophy and the T20 World Cup).
Karim’s critique exposes the mixed message the squad for the Australia tour has sent to the general followers of cricket. If India are planning for the long-term, then persisting with Rohit, who would be 40 by the 2027 World Cup, makes little sense. However, if they value his presence in the team, removing him from captaincy seems equally perplexing.
