Rohit Sharma confirmed as India's captain for Champions Trophy: Report
What's the story
Rohit Sharma has been confirmed as the captain of the Indian cricket team for the upcoming ODI series against England and the ICC Champions Trophy, as per News18. This comes amid concerns over his recent performance, with an average of just 31.18 across all formats in 40 innings last year, as opposed to an average of 48 in the previous year. Despite the concerns, Sharma's leadership role remains secure.
Leadership continuity
Sharma's captaincy continues despite recent defeats
Sharma's captaincy has come under the scanner after back-to-back Test series defeats against New Zealand and Australia. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has chosen not to mix formats and punish him for Test results in ODIs. This means the 37-year-old, who took Team India to the final of the last ODI tournament they played (World Cup 2023), will stay on as captain till at least the ICC Champions Trophy.
Squad announcement
BCCI to announce squad for upcoming tournaments
The BCCI will announce their squad for the ICC Champions Trophy by January 12, InsideSport reports. The same source also confirms that the squads for both the India vs England ODI series and the ICC Champions Trophy will be announced together. This further cements Sharma's position as captain for both these important cricketing events.