Rohit Sharma has reportedly been assured by the BCCI that he will captain India in the upcoming Test series against England. This decision comes after India’s unbeaten run in ICC tournaments under his leadership. Here’s what led to the BCCI’s call.
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After India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (Test series) against Australia in January this year, reports suggested that it might have been captain
Rohit Sharma’s last outing in whites. Rohit dropped himself from the playing XI ahead of the fifth and final Test match in Sydney, fueling speculations. Vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah took charge of the team but couldn’t inspire a win, as Australia defeated India by six wickets to take home the trophy for the first time since 2017. The heavy defeat led to questions being raised about Rohit’s leadership and his place in India’s red-ball team.
Rohit gets extension to lead India in Tests
However, according to a recent report in The Indian Express, Rohit Sharma has been assured by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that he will captain India in the upcoming Test series against England. This development comes just days after India lifted the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 under Rohit’s leadership. It marks India’s second consecutive ICC tournament victory in the last nine months, following their triumph in the 2024 T20 World Cup. In both events, India remained unbeaten. Additionally, India had reached the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup undefeated under Rohit’s captaincy but lost to Australia in the summit clash.
The selectors were reportedly more impressed with Rohit’s tactical acumen rather than just his batting form when they decided to give him an extension to lead the Indian Test team in England. The Champions Trophy victory against New Zealand last week reinforced the belief that Rohit possesses the strategic brain required to lead India in Test cricket, especially in challenging overseas conditions like England, where no Indian side has won since 2007.
While India have multiple options for the opening batter’s slot, finding a captain with Rohit’s experience and acumen remains a challenge.
Jasprit Bumrah has proven to be a capable leader, and his tactical reading of the game makes him a strong future candidate. However, the BCCI is reportedly keen on giving Rohit an extended run, allowing Bumrah to focus on his bowling workload for now.
Rohit will next be seen in action during the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, playing for the Mumbai Indians under Hardik Pandya’s captaincy. It will be a comparatively relaxed tournament for Rohit, as he will not have the burden of leading the side and can focus solely on his batting performance. This could help him return fresh for the Test series against England, where he will have a big task on his hands if the selectors do decide to hand him the captaincy. The series will also mark the start of the fresh World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.