Rohit Sharma, the star batsman and vice-captain of the Indian cricket team, has been officially announced as the captain for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, which will be held in the USA and West Indies. The announcement was made by BCCI secretary Jay Shah on Wednesday, during an event in Rajkot. This will be the second time that Rohit will lead India in a T20 World Cup, after the 2022 edition in Australia.
Rohit Sharma has the capability, says Jay Shah
Jay Shah, the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), confirmed that Rohit Sharma will be the captain of the Indian team for the T20 World Cup 2024, while speaking to the media at an event to rename the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium as the Niranjan Shah Cricket Stadium. Jay Shah said that Rohit Sharma has the capability and experience to lead the team, and expressed confidence that India will win the trophy under his leadership.
“Rohit Sharma has the capability; we all know. He has been the vice-captain of the Indian team for a long time, and he has also led the team in many matches. He has also won five IPL titles as the captain of Mumbai Indians. He has the experience and the skills to lead the team in the T20 World Cup. I am confident that under Rohit Sharma’s leadership, India will win the T20 World Cup 2024,” Jay Shah said.
Jay Shah also said that the decision to appoint Rohit Sharma as the captain was made by the BCCI’s selection committee, headed by Chetan Sharma, and that the BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and the head coach Rahul Dravid were also in agreement with the decision.
Rohit Sharma’s record as a captain
Rohit Sharma, who made his international debut in 2007, has been one of the most prolific and consistent batsmen in the world, especially in the limited-overs formats. He holds the record for the most centuries in T20Is (6), the highest individual score in ODIs (264), and the most runs in a single World Cup (648 in 2019). He is also the second-highest run-scorer in T20Is (3123), behind Virat Kohli (3294).
Rohit Sharma has also been a successful captain, both for India and for Mumbai Indians. He has led India in 19 T20Is, winning 15 and losing four, with a win percentage of 78.94. He has also led India in 10 ODIs, winning eight and losing two, with a win percentage of 80. He has also captained India in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, where India reached the semi-finals, but lost to England by seven wickets.
Rohit Sharma has also been the most successful captain in the Indian Premier League (IPL), leading Mumbai Indians to five titles in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020. He has also won the Champions League T20 twice, in 2011 and 2013. He has captained Mumbai Indians in 123 matches, winning 71 and losing 50, with a win percentage of 58.53.
Rohit Sharma’s comeback and challenges
Rohit Sharma, who did not play any T20I in 2023, made a comeback to the format in January 2024, leading India against Afghanistan in a three-match series. He scored a brilliant 121 off 62 balls in the first match, helping India win by 66 runs. He also scored 32 and 28 in the next two matches, as India won the series 2-1.
Rohit Sharma will now face the challenge of leading India in the T20 World Cup 2024, which will be the first time that the tournament will be held in the USA and West Indies. The tournament will feature 16 teams, divided into four groups of four each. India have been placed in Group B, along with England, Bangladesh, and Ireland. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super 12 stage, followed by the semi-finals and the final.
Rohit Sharma will have to deal with the expectations and pressure of leading India in a major tournament, as well as the conditions and the opposition. He will also have to balance the team composition, the batting order, and the bowling options, while also performing well with the bat. He will also have to manage the fitness and form of the players, as well as the morale and motivation of the team.
Rohit Sharma will be hoping to emulate the feat of MS Dhoni, who led India to the inaugural T20 World Cup title in 2007, and also the 2011 ODI World Cup title. Rohit Sharma will also be aiming to end India’s drought of ICC trophies, as India have not won any major ICC tournament since the 2013 Champions Trophy.
Rohit Sharma has the talent, the experience, and the support to lead India to glory in the T20 World Cup 2024. He will also have the backing of the fans and the media, who have been rooting for him to become the captain of the Indian team. Rohit Sharma will be looking to prove himself as a leader, and as a legend, in the T20 World Cup 2024.
