It’s a bit of a shock to see Rohit Sharma not going to Australia as captain: Harbhajan

Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has expressed “shock” at Rohit Sharma’s removal as captain of the ODI team, saying he deserved to lead the side in Australia after engineering the Champions Trophy title triumph earlier this year.

Also read: India squad for Australia tour: Shubman Gill named new ODI captain; Rohit, Kohli return

In a significant development, the Indian selectors on Saturday handed over the ODI captaincy to young Test skipper Shubman Gill, keeping the 2027 World Cup in mind. But Harbhajan believed Rohit could have continued for little longer.

“Congratulations to Shubman Gill. Obviously, he has been leading the team well in Test cricket, and now he’s been given another responsibility: to lead the ODI side as well. Of course, Rohit has been replaced as captain by Shubman, and Rohit is someone who holds a very good record in white-ball cricket,” Harbhajan told JioHotstar.

“To be honest, it’s a bit of a shock for me to see Rohit not being the captain. If you’re selecting Rohit Sharma, select him as captain, because he just recently won you the ICC Champions Trophy.

“Rohit has been one of the pillars of Indian cricket when it comes to white-ball formats. I think he should have been given at least this tour. If the selectors are thinking about the 2027 ODI World Cup, it’s still far away.”

The ODIs in Australia are scheduled to be played in Sydney, Adelaide, and Melbourne between October 19 and 25 and will be followed by a five-match T20 series.

Harbhajan, who was part of the triumphant 2011 World Cup squad, said the selectors could have waited for another year before giving Gill ODI captaincy.

“Shubman has a lot of time to grow into the role of ODI captain. I’m happy for Shubman; he’s got this opportunity, but it could have been delayed a little. He could have waited six to eight months or even a year before taking over.

“I’m happy for Shubman, but at the same time, I’m a bit disappointed for Rohit Sharma not being the captain,” Harbhajan said.

Rohit has been one of India’s finest captains in the white-ball formats, guiding the team to two ICC titles and a runner-up finish at home in the 2023 World Cup at home while cementing his place as all-time great.

On the role ahead for the 38-year-od Rohit, Harbhajan said the Mumbaikar will continue to drive Indian cricket forward in the ODI format alongside his longtime teammate Virat Kohli.

“If you look at Rohit’s ODI record, he’s averaging almost close to 50. That shows how consistent he’s been and what he brings to the table as an opener. There’s no doubt about his performances and his approach when it comes to playing for India.

“He’s been a phenomenal player, and that will not change. He will continue to bat the way he always has and continue to be a leader in the team, irrespective of whether he’s captain or not. He’ll keep giving advice to Shubman or anyone else whenever needed.

“As a batter, Rohit won’t change his approach. He’ll remain as fearless as ever, and so will Virat Kohli. These two top players will continue to drive Indian cricket forward, and we’re all looking forward to seeing them win matches for Team India.”

Rohit has won 42 out of the 56 ODI matches that he captained with a winning percentage of 76.

Shreyas Iyer has been named vice-captain for the three-match series in Australia.

Asked about Shreyas’ appointment as Gill’s deputy, Harbhajan said he was pleased to see the batter getting bigger responsibility.

“He’s one of those guys who hardly gets the credit he deserves. We talk about that World Cup in India, he scored back-to-back centuries, and with what pace! He’s an impact player; when he gets going, he makes things easy for the dressing room and the other batters.

“I’m very happy that he’s back in the scheme of things, not just as a player but with a bigger responsibility as vice-captain. I’m looking forward to seeing him back and to see what he brings to the table in terms of ideas and how he and Shubman Gill take this team forward,” Harbhajan said.