Batting great Sunil Gavaskar came up with a massive statement ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. He said that if Rohit Sharma misses the first game against the Australia National Cricket Team then BCCI should announce the new captain for the full series.
Sunil Gavaskar’s comment came after the reports suggested that Rohit Sharma will be missing one of the first two Tests against Australia due to personal reasons. Even the captain himself dropped a hint about his availability, saying that he is not sure if he will be available for the Perth Test or not.
Jasprit Bumrah might captain the team in the first Test against Australia
This will no doubt be a massive blow for the India team as they will not only be the opening batter but also the leader for the start of the series. This development comes after the India National Cricket Team faced a 0-3 whitewash against the New Zealand National Cricket Team at home.
With Rohit Sharma not being available for the Test at Perth, Jasprit Bumrah might captain the team. The pacer is the vice-captain of the team, and the senior opener not being there leaves a massive void in the team and also disrupts the balance of the team.
Indian selection committee should say that you have to rest, rest, if there are personal reasons, then look at them – Sunil Gavaskar on Rohit Sharma missing first Test against Australia
With reports of Rohit Sharma missing the first Test, Sunil Gavaskar fumed over the development, saying that it is important for the captain to play the first Test as it sets the rhythm. He said that it wouldn’t be easy for him to take over the leadership of the team after missing the first game.
Sunil Gavaskar came up with a strict solution for the Board of Control for Cricket in India. He said that the selection committee should look for the new captain for the entire series and Rohit Sharma should take care of his personal reasons. He added:
“It is important for the captain to play the first Test. If he gets injured then it is a different matter. In such a situation, if your leader is not available in the first match, then appointing a deputy leader, the pressure that builds on him is a different kind of pressure. It will not be easy for him to take the responsibility of captaincy again.”
“We have been reading that Rohit Sharma will not play in the first Test, perhaps he will not play in the second as well. If this is the case, then I say that right now, the Indian selection committee should say that you have to rest, rest, if there are personal reasons, then look at them.”
If there is no captain in the beginning, it is better to make someone else the captain – Sunil Gavaskar on Rohit Sharma
Sunil Gavaskar claimed that if Rohit Sharma is missing the first few games, then he should join the team as a player and play under the leadership of the vice-captain. He pointed out that taking the break would’ve been fine had India won the series against New Zealand.
He was of the opinion with a 0-3 whitewash under his belt, Rohit Sharma should be there for the series, as the captain needs to unite the team. He added:
“But if you are missing two-thirds of the matches then you should go for this tour only as a player. We will make the vice-captain the captain of this tour. Because there should be clarity. It is the responsibility of the captain because when we lost 3-0 here, it is important to have a captain. Absolutely necessary”
“Indian cricket is the most important. I would say that if we had won the New Zealand series 3-0, it would have been a different matter. Because we have lost this series 3-0, there is a need for a captain. The captain has to unite the team. If there is no captain in the beginning, it is better to make someone else the captain.”
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