India's ouster from the T20 World Cup 2022 raised questions on Indian team management and Captain Rohit Sharma. With consistent failures in ICC tournaments, India looked beyond Virat Kohli and handed over the captaincy to Rohit. The team management was hoping for Rohit to reciprocate IPL success into international cricket and his tenure started in similar fashion but failures in ICC World Cup and Asia Cup and then in the Bangladesh ODI series, fans were expecting the management to move past Rohit the captain in at least T20 cricket.
With Hardik Pandya seen as the future limited over prodigy, team management have tried him in New Zealand and he will also be leading against Sri Lanka at home. With Rohit 'rested' for the Sri Lanka T20Is, it made people believe that the team management have certainly considered Hardik for future.
But the recent BCCI review meeting in Mumbai on January 1 (Sunday) cleared the air on Rohit's captaincy stay. BCCI officials didn't find anything unsatisfactory about his leadership and have even asked the Indian captain to focus on 2023 World Cup.
Skipper Rohit, along with head coach Rahul Dravid in addition to last selection committee's chairman Chetan Sharma, NCA head VVS Laxman, president Roger Binny also attended the review meeting which was organised by BCCI secretary Jay Shah in Mumbai. Any threat looming around Rohit's role was cleared in this meeting and BCCI's focus on going ahead with Rohit was visible. The meeting focused on roadmap to 2023 World Cup and the upcoming WTC finals where India have a high chance of qualifying for the finals. With Hardik Pandya preparing for the Sri Lanka series in Mumbai, many were hoping he might attend the meeting as well but his absence proved that BCCI is looking to continue with Rohit Sharma as an all format captain till 2023 World Cup at least. Rohit Sharma has led India 31 times in T20IS and has a wonderful record, winning 26 matches and a staggering win percentage of 83.87. With similar number in ODIs, Rohit has lead India in 13 ODIs and has a winning ratio of 84.61 per cent. With numbers to back the Mumbai batter, BCCI have faith in Rohit's captaincy and in fact they are looking to rotate a pool of 20 players till the ODI World Cup to check the depth in India's ODI squad. BCCI sources even touched on the topic of selection committee and confirmed that Sharma is in the planning of roadmap up to 2023 World Cup. If not as the chairman, he is expected to garner an important role in the coming weeks. With Rohit at the helm, India is looking to revive their international cricket and a World Cup glory at home will play a huge role. The selection committee and team management are all eyeing to bring the coveted trophy back after 11 years.
Also BCCI took some major steps in the quintessential review meeting of Team India which was staged in Mumbai Issues ranging from players' availability, workload management and fitness parameters remained the focal point of the review meeting in view of the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023.
Meanwhile, BCCI also shortlisted 20 players who will be featuring in the marquee Men's ODI World Cup 2023. These players will be rotated in order to ensure the preparation of the 2023 World Cup which will be staged in India.
"BCCI has shortlisted 20 players who will be rotated till the 50 overs World Cup," Shah revealed to reporters after BCCI's review meeting of the men's national team which took place on Sunday (January 1) in Mumbai.
