Navjot Singh Sidhu weighed in on the captaincy debacle surrounding Rohit Sharma.
The machinations within the Indian camp on the eve of the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy took up much of the focus heading into this crucial game. Amongst many calls coming for Rohit Sharma’s removal from the team in the wake of his torrid run, there were still other who fiercely defended him and question the decision to axe him mid-series in Australia.
Rohit Sharma handed over the reins of the Indian Test team to long-time teammate Jasprit Bumrah.(AFP)
Former Indian opener Navjot Singh Sidhu, speaking on a video for his profile on social media platform X, was one such who was fierce in his support of Rohit. “It’s a very strange thing that the Indian captain, Rohit Sharma,was sat out from the team today. It’s bizarre, it’s strange, simply because of the fact that this has happened for the first time in Indian cricket history that the captain has been left out,” explained Sidhu.
The opener turned MLA and TV personality continued: “You just don’t make them the captain, but if you have, and that is such a great player who has served Indian cricket, then whether he is in good or bad form doesn’t matter. Captain is not an option, that he can just opt out, it sends the wrong signals,” explained Sidhu.
The end of the road for Rohit?
There have been whispers regarding the behind-the-scenes of Rohit Sharma’s non-involvement in the Indian team at the SCG, with Jasprit Bumrah stepping in as captain for the final match of the series. As per some reports, a clash of personalities between coach Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma could have been the foundation for a strained relationship within the leadership unit from the get-go.
“I think whether you sit him out, or give him the option, management cannot give this captain the option to sit,” continued Sidhu. “The captain, who has built the team, who awoke the faith, who always gave younger players a father figure and been honoured, I think a captain never de-links from his ship, even if it is a sinking ship. It’s a wrong decision,” he said emphatically.
Rohit stepped down, but the permanence of the move and whether he will try to break back into the Test team remains unclear. The Indian top order continued to struggle in Sydney, the top four combining for just 51 runs as the team were bowled out for 185.
Rohit was criticised for overseeing India’s first series defeat at home in 12 years, with the 3-o whitewash against New Zealand starting the downturn of his stocks, and three limp performances in Adelaide, Brisbane, and Melbourne leading to such a drastic step down under.
