"If India fail to win Champions Trophy…"- Mohammad Kaif's brutal verdict on Rohit Sharma's future as captain
Published - 20 Feb 2025, 11:06 AM | Updated - 20 Feb 2025, 11:18 AM
India captain Rohit Sharma’s future has been a topic of debate, especially after his underwhelming performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in Australia. However, former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif stated that Rohit should continue leading the team until the ICC ODI World Cup in 2027.
Rohit has retired from T20Is, and his place in the Test team is uncertain following a poor run as both captain and batter. However, he guided India to a 3-0 win in the recent home ODI series against England. Rohit scored a match-winning century in the 2nd ODI, which is a positive for the Indian team.
There Is No Question About Rohit Sharma’s Place in ODIs - Mohammad Kaif
Mohammad Kaif, who played 13 Tests and 125 ODIs, stated that only a few have achieved what Rohit has as a leader. Kaif said that the opener's place in the ODI team should not be questioned. He added that even if India struggles in the Champions Trophy, Rohit should be with the team.
"What Rohit Sharma has done as a captain is not everyone's cup of tea. He led his team to the final of the 2023 World Cup. We haven't played a lot of ODI cricket after that. God forbid, even if India play badly, the coaches may be in trouble but not Rohit Sharma. In Tests, you may look for a chance, but in ODIs, there is no question about his place," in a video shared on his X account, Kaif said.
Even if India fail to win Champions Trophy, Rohit Sharma should continue to captain the Indian team till the 2027 ODI World Cup.
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) February 19, 2025
Watch the full video on my YouTube channel. Link below 🔗#CricketWithKaif11 #ChampionsTrophy #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/iLQimJbY4t
Rohit Sharma Will Continue Playing Till 2027 World Cup - Mohammad Kaif
The former middle-order batter, who was also one of the best fielders of his generation, highlighted that Rohit has a strong ODI record and an impressive winning percentage as captain. Kaif believes that regardless of India's performance, Rohit will continue playing until the 2027 World Cup.
"He has been in great form, hit a century, and has captained the team really well. He has a fantastic ODI record if we look at the winning percentage. So, I feel even if the Indian team performs badly, Rohit Sharma will remain safe and continue playing till 2027 World Cup," Kaif added.
India Set to Open Their 2025 Champions Trophy Campaign on February 20
Team India will begin their 2025 Champions Trophy campaign on Thursday, February 20, against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The Men in Blue is placed in Group A with Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh.
While the tournament is hosted by defending champions Pakistan, India will play all of their matches in Dubai. The highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash is scheduled to take place on February 23. They will play their final group-stage game against New Zealand on March 2.
India retained the same top four from the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they finished as runners-up. Virat Kohli was the highest run-scorer with 765 runs, while Rohit Sharma scored 597. Shreyas Iyer amassed 530 runs in 11 innings, including two centuries, while Shubman Gill added 354 runs in nine innings.
