Former India batsman Krishnamachari Srikkanth believes Rohit Sharma is looking set to lead India in the highly-anticipated ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Rohit Sharma has been named as the captain of the team for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Afghanistan.
Apart from him, Virat Kohli has also been recalled in the T20I team. Both the players have not played a T20I for Team India since the semifinal of the 2022 T20 World Cup. Not very long ago, it seemed like neither Rohit nor Virat would be a part of India’s T20I team again.
However, the selectors have sprung a huge surprise by naming both the veteran batters in the team for the forthcoming series. With the series being India’s last T20I assignment before this year’s T20 World Cup, the inclusion is also a big indication that both the players are in the selectors’ plan for the marquee event.
Krishnamachari Srikkanth on Rohit Sharma’s inclusion:
While only time will tell who leads India in the T20 World Cup, Srikkanth believes Rohit Sharma looks likely to be the man in charge. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former opener stated that all signs are pointing towards the opener leading the Indian team in the tournament.
“All signs suggest that Rohit Sharma is going to lead India in T20 World Cup. That’s how it’s going. The very fact that he is made captain now. Yes, Hardik Pandya is injured, Suryakumar Yadav, who was the deputy, is also not available due to injury. Jasprit Bumrah is also not there. Obviously, Rohit Sharma will be the captain,” said Srikkanth.
“See, Mumbai Indians making Hardik Pandya captain is the franchise’s choice. From the team selection, Rohit Sharma will only captain India in T20 World Cup in all probability. It’s moving toward that,” he added.
Speaking further, Srikkanth said that Rohit Sharma is determined to win the T20 World Cup as a captain after missing out on the ODI World Cup. Rohit led his team from the very front in the ODI World Cup last year before Team India’s dream run ended with a heartbreaking defeat in the final against Australia.
“Rohit will play with total freedom in the IPL. He will play attacking cricket, like he did in the World Cup. The wound of losing the World Cup is not over for him. If India had beaten Australia on November 19, things would have been different. He now wants to win a World Cup as a captain.
“A T20 World Cup is a World Cup at the end of the day. He would love to achieve it. Yes, 50-over World Cup is considered big, but if you win a T20 World Cup, you are still a World Cup-winning captain,” said Srikkanth.
