The former star of Indian cricket, Harbhajan Singh, communicated his feeling of letdown regarding the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) choice to relieve Rohit Sharma of his duties as the ODI captain preceding the forthcoming visit to Australia. The selection committee made the announcement on Saturday, October 4, specifying that Shubman Gill will be in charge of the squad in the 50-overs format, taking over from Rohit, who successfully led India to victory in the Champions Trophy earlier in the year.
Harbhajan Singh surprised by decision to sideline Rohit Sharma as skipper
During a conversation on Star Sports, Harbhajan acknowledged that whilst Gill’s advancement introduces a new obstacle for the up-and-coming player, he expressed amazement at observing Rohit’s inclusion in the team solely as a participant, and not as the team leader.
Rohit’s dismissal signifies the conclusion of roughly a four-year stretch as the permanent ODI captain for India. Having already relinquished his position in T20Is in 2024 and Tests in 2025, this recent adjustment points to a considerable shift in the command structure of Indian cricket.
“Gill has been entrusted with additional responsibility, that of captaining the team in ODIs too. Naturally, this will pose a fresh challenge for him, something he hasn’t experienced before. Rohit has, evidently, been succeeded as captain by Shubman, and Rohit possesses a very commendable track record in limited-overs cricket. Candidly, I find it somewhat surprising to see Rohit not being the captain yet still being picked as a player,” Harbhajan remarked.
‘Rohit should have been given at least this tour’- Harbhajan on Rohit
Harbhajan, who was a teammate of Rohit in the locker room throughout his playing career, believed that the seasoned opener merited the chance to guide the team for, at minimum, the Australia tour, considering his recent accomplishments as the captain. Rohit’s leadership has been widely acknowledged for India’s steady performance in limited-overs cricket. Throughout his time as captain, India clinched numerous bilateral series and brought an end to an extended drought of ICC trophies by triumphing in the T20 World Cup in 2024 and securing the Champions Trophy earlier in 2025.
“My assumption was that, if he were to travel to Australia, he would have been the captain once more. He recently secured the Champions Trophy and other competitions too, hence I believe he has been a cornerstone of Indian cricket in limited-overs formats. He should have been granted this tour, at the very least,” the experienced off-spinner further commented.
