Veteran Indian opener Rohit Sharma is slated to lead the Indian team in the forthcoming edition of the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA. The 36-year-old played his last game for the Men in Blue in the shorter format against England in the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinals.
Rohit Sharma put on an excellent batting showing in the recently concluded World Cup 2023, providing India with flying starts at the start of the innings. He was the second-leading run-getter, with 597 runs scored at an average of 54.27 and a strike rate of 125.95. However, the Men in Blue failed to win another ICC trophy after dominating the league stage.
The right-handed batter’s performance in the IPL has been disappointing in recent years, and he hasn’t played a T20I in over a year. Although he reinvented his game for the ODI World Cup, some younger players have been in excellent form in the IPL and T20Is. Nonetheless, according to the latest reports, Rohit Sharma is likely to return to lead the side in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
According to a report in Dainik Jagran, a BCCI official has confirmed that Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya will not lead India in the T20 World Cup next year. Rohit Sharma’s leadership has not been revoked within the Indian team, and he will lead Team India in all three formats of the game.
The source discounted any potential impact on the BCCI’s decision resulting from Rohit’s dismissal as Mumbai Indians captain. According to the official, Rohit would captain the team even if Hardik Pandya is injury-free and ready for selection.
Despite being replaced by Hardik Pandya in the Mumbai Indians, Rohit Sharma will continue to head the Indian team. The uncertainty surrounding Rohit’s captaincy appears to have subsided, indicating that he would most likely continue to lead India.
The West Indies and the United States will host the T20 World Cup from June 4 to June 30. Since their triumph in the inaugural edition, India has failed to win the ICC title in T20 cricket. In the previous four tournaments, India has lost two semi-finals and one final. The Men in Blue would be keen to end their ICC title drought next year.
Team India has only a few Twenty20 Internationals in preparation for the T20 World Cup in 2024. The Men in Blue are slated to play a three-match T20 series against Afghanistan in January, with the 2024 IPL serving as a preparatory medium for the ICC competition.