Rohit to lead India at T20 World Cup, confirms Jay Shah

The Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Jay Shah has confirmed that Rohit Sharma will lead India in the upcoming T20 World Cup. Rohit recently made a comeback to the T20I format in the three-match series against Afghanistan after a long hiatus of 14 months.

In the absence of Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav led India in the shortest format of the game. However, when Rohit was named captain for the series against Afghanistan with Pandya and SKY being on the sidelines due to their respective injuries, it was an indication that India’s full-time captain would take over the captaincy baton for the T20I showpiece.

Meanwhile, Rohit has led Mumbai Indians to five titles in the IPL, which is the joint-most along with CSK captain MS Dhoni. However, MI has named Hardik Pandya as captain for the upcoming season.

“At this point in time, Rohit is an all-format captain. It is a collective decision, and the selectors are fully aligned on the matter. Hardik Pandya will retain his position as vice-captain for the T20 World Cup. Consider if Hardik gets injured, as he did in the previous World Cup. In such a scenario, who should we entrust with the leadership responsibility,” Shah stated.

He further said, “If you recall the Afghanistan T20I match, we were in a tough spot at 27 for four, but Rohit’s remarkable century turned the game around. We can’t question his abilities. Although we won ten consecutive games in the World Cup, we fell short in the final. It’s part and parcel of the game,” Shah reiterated, echoing his earlier remarks at the function.

“I have not made any comments about the 2023 World Cup, in which we lost the final in Ahmedabad. However, I can assure you that India will clinch the T20 World Cup in Barbados on June 29 under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy,” Shah confidently stated at the function where the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium was renamed as the Niranjan Shah Stadium.

Shah also emphasized that the players need to play for their respective states in the domestic circuit. A lot of players are skipping the Ranji Trophy to stay fit for the upcoming IPL.

“It is a significant issue. I will be writing to all the players tomorrow. If your captain and coach instruct you to play, you must comply and participate in red-ball cricket. This directive applies to all players who are not at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). We will ensure that injured players do not risk aggravating their injuries by playing red-ball cricket and jeopardizing their chances in white-ball cricket. However, this directive applies to all young and fit players,” Shah declared.

India will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Ireland in New York.