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Journalism of Courage
Former India batter Mohammed Kaif said the selectors will find it difficult to set new metrics to gauge the form of Rohit Sharma after stripping him of the ODI captaincy ahead of the forthcoming Australia tour.
Arguably ranked among the most successful ODI openers of all time, Kaif said it will be difficult to expect consistency from Rohit, a hallmark associated more with his long-time teammate Virat Kohli, who will also return for the national team rigours for the first time in seven months since the Champions Trophy. Both Rohit and Kohli announced their Test retirements in May, and last featured in the IPL 2025 season.
Without a competitive game under the belt in months, the selectors opted for the cut-throat decision to appoint Shubman Gill as the next ODI captain, leaving Rohit with a stiff fight to keep his spot during upcoming assignments.
“People are saying that Virat Kohli will be assessed, but I think that is something which will apply to Rohit Sharma. Rohit is not captaining, and the way he has been playing over the years, scoring 20 to 30, but when a big match comes, he scores 80, a match-winning knock, that’s how his career has gone. He never scores consistently,” Kaif said in his YouTube channel.
Kaif observed how Rohit had made a similar impact during India’s victorious Champions Trophy campaign. Despite a string of low scores in the tournament, Rohit set up the final chase against New Zealand in Dubai, scoring a blistering 76 and walking away with the Player of the Match award.
“The difference between him and Kohli in their numbers is that Kohli brings consistency, while Rohit brings match-winning innings and knocks. It will be difficult for the selectors. What if Rohit fails in the Australia series? People will say he is out of form, but if you look at his career, he often fails in two or three innings and then comes back strong. Even in the Champions Trophy, he scored 30 to 40 in the early games and then became the Player of the Match in the final,” remarked Kaif.
Kaif said it will be imperative for India to retain the likes of Kohli and Rohit as they build towards the 2027 ODI World Cup, for their unmatched experience.
“In the World Cup, you will need experienced players. If they’ve decided that they’re not being treated right, and they’re close to retirement, that’s their personal choice. But if both of them play in the World Cup, India’s pride will rise, and match-winning innings will definitely come from their bats. My only appeal is not to judge them based on two or three innings,” Kaif concluded.
