Legendary Indian spinner Anil Kumble said that the announcement made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) BCCI Secretary Jay Shah regarding Rohit Sharma's captaincy for the 2024 T20 World Cup came as no surprise to him.
Shah announced that Rohit will lead the Indian side in the 2024 T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA), with Hardik Pandya appointed as his deputy.
Kumble on Rohit's Captaincy
The 53-year-old Kumble went on to say that Rohit has done exceptionally well as India's captain and was not surprised that the opening batter was leading the side.
“The Rohit Sharma announcement, I don't think was a surprise because I certainly believe that we need that stability, especially at the top. Rohit is someone who has done exceptionally well as India's captain,” Kumble said during a conversation with Sports 18.
The former cricketer added that how stability is really important for the Indian team during this event while supporting Shah's decision.
“His T20 form in the IPL hasn't been special in the last couple of years but he's a quality player. We saw against Afghanistan, when the team was struggling a bit he came and scored that wonderful hundred. It's important you have that kind of stability going into the T20 World Cup,” Kumble added.
The 36-year-old Rohit returned to T20 cricket against Afghanistan after a hiatus since India's exit in the semi-final of the 2022 World Cup. Despite facing early setbacks with consecutive ducks in the first two matches, Rohit showcased his prowess by smashing his fifth T20 century during an exhilarating series decider in Bengaluru.
Shah's Confidence in the Indian Team
Shah also predicted that India will win the T20 World Cup in 2024 in Barbados under Rohit’s captaincy.
“We may have lost the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup. But we won hearts thereby winning 10 matches in a row. I am confident that India will lift the 2024 T20 World Cup under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy at Barbados,” Shah said.
The 2024 T20 World Cup is set to begin on June 1 and includes 55 matches at nine venues. Six stadiums in the West Indies and the rest in the USA will host the matches, while the Super Eight and knockout rounds will take place in the West Indies.
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