Team India’s succession plan to replace Rohit Sharma as captain with Shubman Gill hasn’t quite hit the target. First Australia, and now New Zealand. India has lost the first two ODI series under Gill’s leadership, and suddenly, the youngster is facing the heat. After a dream debut as captain in Tests, where Gill led India to a 2-2 draw in England, Gill’s tactics are beginning to get questioned, with Simon Doull most recently slamming the skipper for being a proactive leader.
And now, adding to the criticism is Manoj Tiwary. In fact, the former Indian cricketer has suggested that the BCCI relieve Gill of the captaincy and bring Rohit back in charge before it’s too late. Tiwary questioned the BCCI, asking what led to Rohit’s removal in the first place and what more he had to do after leading India to the Champions Trophy title. Rohit could never captain India again, and it’s likely that he never will. Still, Tiwary has directed a barrage of questions towards the BCCI.
“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,” Tiwary told InsideSport when asked if the BCCI should fire Gill from his position as 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.”
Why Rohit is better than Gill as captain, Tiwary explains
Despite having India’s best Test captain in Virat Kohli, the team went without an ICC title for 11 long years before Rohit broke the jinx by winning the T20 World Cup in 2024, defeating South Africa in the final. Just nine months later, Rohit completed the double, as India lifted the Champions Trophy, remaining undefeated in both tournaments – a display of dominance hardly seen before. Hence, comparing Rohit and Gill, Tiwary explained why there’s only one man fit enough to lead India, with an eye on the 2027 World Cup in South Africa.
“Rohit is not a little better than Shubman, 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. 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,” added Tiwary.
