Former Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar speculates that Rohit Sharma may step down as India captain if his batting problems continue in the final two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.
While speaking on an international sports broadcast, Gavaskar expressed his belief that the Indian captain can take matters into his own hands if he fails to find form in the upcoming matches.
“I think Rohit will obviously get the opportunity to play in the upcoming matches, that’s for sure. But maybe in the end, if he didn’t score runs, my feeling is that he will answer the call himself,” Gavaskar said.
The former batsman highlighted Rohit’s conscientious nature.
“He is a very conscientious cricketer; he won’t want to be a burden on the team. He is a cricketer who cares deeply about Indian cricket. So if he doesn’t score points in the next few games, I think he will step down himself,” he added.
Rohit, who has been a key figure for India in recent years, has had a challenging 2024 so far, scoring just 607 runs in 13 Tests at an average of 26.39.
This is significantly below his career average of 41.24, raising questions about his form and future with the team.
On the other hand, the 37-year-old did not open the innings during the series in Australia, opting to let KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal take up the front-order roles. The duo played a key role in India’s dominant 295-run victory in Perth.
Following the success, the red-ball captain recognized that there was no need to change the winning pair and instead took 6th place in the batting order, the same position he occupied when he began his Test career in 2013.
It is pertinent to mention that the third Test between Australia and India in Brisbane ended in a draw after rain ruined the game, leaving the series tied at 1-1.
India had a challenging target of 275 for victory, but thunderstorms and poor light brought early tea on the final day, with India 8-0 up at the end of the match.
