The future of Rohit Sharma as India’s one-day captain is set to be one of the key talking points when the BCCI selection committee meets on Saturday to finalise the squad for the upcoming ODI series against Australia. According to Cricbuzz, the selectors are planning to hold a direct discussion with Rohit, who recently cleared his fitness test at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Rohit dilemma for selectors
At 38, Rohit remains India’s senior-most leader in the white-ball setup, but with the next ODI World Cup scheduled in South Africa in 2027, age and long-term planning are bound to enter the debate. By the time that tournament comes around, Rohit will be 40. The question facing the selectors is whether to back his proven record as captain or start looking for a successor, with an eye for the future.
Importantly, the current selection panel includes Pragyan Ojha and RP Singh, both of whom share a strong rapport with Rohit from their playing days. That connection, along with Rohit’s reputation as a selfless and successful leader, could weigh in his favour. Under his watch, India have been one of the most dominant ODI teams of the last few years, losing only the 2023 World Cup final but going unbeaten in the 2025 Champions Trophy.
While Rohit and Virat Kohli are both expected to return to the ODI squad against Australia, the challenge for the selectors could be to select the future leader. Hardik Pandya is still unavailable with injury, while Shubman Gill, who has been juggling formats, could be asked to rest from at least one white-ball series to manage his workload.
For now, the BCCI is unlikely to make a hasty call. India have only nine ODIs lined up this season, which means the selectors have time before committing to a long-term decision on captaincy. The immediate priorities are the T20 World Cup at home early next year and securing World Test Championship points (WTC) in the four remaining Test series. That said, today’s meeting could give the first signs of how India plan to approach the 2027 World Cup cycle.
