"India will clinch the T20 World Cup in Barbados on June 29 under Rohit Sharma's captaincy" - Jay Shah
BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has confirmed that Rohit Sharma will captain Team India in the upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup, set to begin in June in the West Indies and USA. Jay Shah also went on to express confidence in the opening batter to lead India to glory in the tournament.
With Hardik Pandya leading India in the shortest format after the last World Cup until the T20I series against Afghanistan in 2024, the expectation was that the all-rounder will lead the Men in Blue in the showpiece event. Nevertheless, India are set to stick to Rohit, with the BCCI Secretary ending all speculations.
Speaking at a function where the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium was renamed as the Niranjan Shah Stadium, the 35-year-old said the selectors and management are on board with Rohit as captain. He said:
"I have not made any comments about the 2023 World Cup, in which we lost the final in Ahmedabad. However, I can assure you that India will clinch the T20 World Cup in Barbados on June 29 under Rohit Sharma's captaincy. At this point in time, Rohit is an all-format captain. It is a collective decision, and the selectors are fully aligned on the matter. Hardik Pandya will retain his position as vice-captain for the T20 World Cup."
"If you recall the Afghanistan T20I match, we were in a tough spot at 27 for four, but Rohit's remarkable century turned the game around. We can't question his abilities. Although we won ten consecutive games in the World Cup, we fell short in the final. It's part and parcel of the game," Jay Shah added.
India played the 2023 ODI World Cup final against Australia in Ahmedabad on the back of winning 10 consecutive matches convincingly. However, Australia stunned them on the night of final, bringing their A-game to win by six wickets.
"If your captain and coach instruct you to play, you must comply and participate in red-ball cricket" - Jay Shah
With Indian players allegedly avoiding red-ball cricket to keep themselves fit for IPL 2024, Shah said he will write to them personally as playing longer formats is equally important. He added:
"It is a significant issue. I will be writing to all the players tomorrow. If your captain and coach instruct you to play, you must comply and participate in red-ball cricket. This directive applies to all players who are not at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). We will ensure that injured players do not risk aggravating their injuries by playing red-ball cricket and jeopardizing their chances in white-ball cricket. However, this directive applies to all young and fit players."
The third Test between India and England will be played in Rajkot and will commence on Thursday, February 15.