Manoj Tiwary wants Rohit Sharma as India's captain (Source: @ShubmanGang/x.com)
After taking the reins from Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill was appointed as India’s captain for the Test and ODI formats. As the expectations were high, a nightmarish run in the 50-over format has flipped the script, leaving the young captain battling a fierce wave of criticism.
Two ODI series defeats under his watch have only intensified the heat, with serious questions now swirling around his captaincy future. Reflecting on this, former Indian batter Manoj Tiwary demanded Rohit Sharma’s comeback as India’s ODI captain.
Manoj Tiwary asks what pushed India to drop Rohit Sharma as captain
After Rohit took over the captaincy from Virat Kohli, Team India reached the peak of the mountain of success. Even after an ODI World Cup heartbreak, Captain Rohit gifted two ICC trophies to the fans, and the real shocker came when he was removed from captaincy even after the Champions Trophy Win.
As the baton passed to Shubman Gill, citing future plans, turned out to be horrific. After losing the ODI series to Australia, the Men in Blue suffered another crushing defeat at home against New Zealand, piling pressure on the young skipper. Recently, while talking to InsideSport, former Indian player Manoj Tiwary asked the reason behind Hitman’s removal as India’s captain.
“What was the need to remove Rohit Sharma from the captaincy? I'm pretty sure that if Rohit were leading even today in the ODIs, it would have been a different result (New Zealand series) altogether. Because when he won the Champions Trophy, I think the team was going forward in the right direction,” he said.
What makes Rohit Sharma a more proven Captain than Shubman Gill?
The 2027 ODI World Cup is getting closer, and Team India’s forgettable run in the 50-over format is raising eyebrows. As concerns mount over what needs fixing before the mega event, Manoj Tiwary has weighed in by drawing a sharp comparison between Shubman Gill’s leadership and Rohit Sharma’s proven captaincy.
“Rohit is not a little better than Shubman Gill, but a lot better, currently. That's why he's such a successful captain. You can win it (the World Cup) with Shubman's captaincy, but I'm suggesting comparing the captaincy of both,” he said.
“If Rohit becomes the captain, what is the percentage chance of winning? And if Shubman leads, what is the percentage chance of winning? I think everyone will say that if Rohit is the captain, then there is an 85 to 90 per cent chance of winning the World Cup,” he added.
Is it time for BCCI to recall Rohit Sharma as India captain?
As India is struggling in the 50-over format, the former Indian batter came up with a bold suggestion. Eyeing the 2027 ODI World Cup, he has urged the BCCI to make a dramatic call by bringing Rohit back as India’s captain.
“Yes, absolutely. That's what I'm suggesting because there's still time to course correct. It's about the World Cup. It's not just about a bilateral series or a random tournament we are going to play,” he said.
In recent times, Team India’s ODI form has become a massive concern. While Sharma’s return as captain remains uncertain, the Men in Blue must urgently fix their flaws in the upcoming series to emerge as serious contenders for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
