The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is in the process of setting up a transition plan for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the aftermath of the debacle against New Zealand at home. Seniors like Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will also be part of the process.
Sources told The Telegraph that the BCCI brass is expected to meet captain Rohit, head coach Gautam Gambhir, chief selector Ajit Agarkar and Kohli to look into the reasons for the failure before they leave for Australia. The transition plan could also be a part of the discussions.
The form of batting stalwarts Rohit and Kohli, who aggregated 93 and 91, respectively, in the three-Test series has come under scrutiny from the BCCI bigwigs too.
BCCI secretary Jay Shah will take over as ICC chairman next month and he could put
a process in place before his departure.
“Keeping in mind their immense contribution to Indian cricket, there’s no question of forcing any decision on them. The aim will be to find a solution through mutual understanding. There’s no denying the fact that they are nearing the end of their careers and we need to have enough time in hand to groom the juniors,” a source told The Telegraph.
It’s unlikely that Rohit or Kohli’s careers will depend on the outcome of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy or how they fare in the five-match series. The BCCI is looking at an arrangement where none of the seniors hold on to their places if they fail to perform for a period of time.
The next home series is against the West Indies in October and it’s unlikely that all four will be part of the squad. “The transition will happen in phases so that there is no void in the team and the performance isn’t affected,” the source said.
The BCCI wants the next generation to be in place during the next World Test Championship cycle, which begins with the five-Test series in England in June.
One problem the selectors have been facing is the absence of someone who could be
an automatic choice as captain. Jasprit Bumrah as vice-captain is a stop-gap arrangement and the selectors don’t want to burden the world’s No.1 bowler with additional responsibilities.
That is one of the reasons why the selectors have been maintaining a go-slow approach as far as the transition in Test cricket is concerned.
Rishabh Pant was considered for the leader’s role but his tactical acumen in the IPL hasn’t pleased the powers-that-be in the BCCI. His workload and fitness too remain a matter of concern following his December 2022 accident.
Even KL Rahul was once sought to be an ideal replacement for Rohit but his inconsistent form with the bat doesn’t guarantee him a place in the playing XI.
The BCCI wants to make the seniors aware of the phasing-out plans so that it doesn’t seem like a knee-jerk reaction if the results don’t go in their favour in Australia.
Much like their counterparts in Australia or England, the BCCI is keen to have a transition policy in place. The next few months will be crucial.
