Former Indian skipper Rohit Sharma’s saga with the selection committee seems to be dragging on. The 39-year-old was the source of many speculations during the tour of England last month. After the Cardiff ODI, there were reports that the veteran batter was set to call time on his career after the final game at Lord’s.
Rohit, in fact, shut down all talks with a classy knock of 138 and later called his retirement stories ‘Outside Noise’ in his chat with BCCI. Former India batter Mohammad Kaif said that it felt like the former skipper had dared Ajit Agarkar and his selection committee to drop him.
The 45-year-old, while speaking on his YouTube channel, said that it looked like Rohit had told the selectors to drop him if he was not performing well. “Fact is Sharma hasn’t retired or stepped away from the game. The way he is batting and even scored a century at Lord’s shows his intent and willingness to play. Whatever call the selectors want to take is up to them. Maybe there was an attempt to convince the batter internally about certain things, but it is not clear as yet who stands where, and it is confusing,” Kaif said.
He urged the selectors to come up with a clear directive about the batter’s future. “Members of the coaching staff must come out and say that they have given the player full freedom to play his natural game. But no one is coming out and saying that he is part of our 2027 ODI World Cup plans. Rohit’s form is not going to be consistent. He may also have a poor series, but the management has to stand behind the player,” he added.
Rohit Sharma’s saga to impact chief selector Ajit Agarkar
A report by Dainik Jagran has claimed that chief selector Ajit Agarkar may lose his chair to former India great VVS Laxman. There is a belief that the Indian board is not happy with the way the entire saga surrounding Rohit has unfolded. A report stated that there was a feeling that the player would be dropped post the Lord’s ODI.
Mumbai Indians star’s future was secured after BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said that the player was in the selectors’ plans and he wasn’t retiring. It will be interesting to see what the next course of action yields as the Men in Blue still have a month before their next ODI assignment against the West Indies, which begins on 27th September.