In a significant development for Indian cricket, Rohit Sharma has been appointed as the captain for the upcoming 2024 men’s T20 World Cup, marking his second stint leading the national team in this prestigious tournament. The announcement was made by BCCI secretary Jay Shah during a notable event held in Rajkot, where he also confirmed the extension of Rahul Dravid’s tenure as head coach until the culmination of the global competition.
Rohit Sharma’s return to the helm of the T20 squad comes after his recent comeback to T20Is in January 2024 against Afghanistan, following a period of absence due to injury. Shah expressed confidence in Rohit’s leadership abilities, particularly highlighting his experience and success in the format.
The BCCI secretary added,
“Rohit has the ability, we know. As he showed in the ODI World Cup where we won 10 matches in a row until the final. I am confident that India will lift the 2024 T20 World Cup under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy in Barbados.”
Commenting on Dravid’s tenure, he said,
“After the [2023 ODI] World Cup, Rahul bhai had to leave for the South Africa tour immediately. We did not get to meet in between which finally happened today,” Shah said in Rajkot. “Why are you worried about a contract for such a senior person like Rahul Dravid? Rahul bhai will remain the coach in the T20 World Cup.”
Shah, however, indicated that the BCCI will hold a few more rounds of discussions ahead of the event. “I will speak with him whenever there is time, there are back-to-back series happening right now,” Shah said. “They were in South Africa, then there was a [T20I] series against Afghanistan and now England. We did not get to speak in between at all.”
However, amidst the excitement surrounding Rohit’s appointment, uncertainty looms over the participation of former captain Virat Kohli in the T20 World Cup. While Kohli made a comeback to T20Is against Afghanistan after a hiatus, Shah refrained from providing any confirmation regarding his inclusion, citing ongoing discussions and personal decisions.
“We will talk about him [soon].”
The BCCI’s approach towards player management and development was also outlined during the event, with Shah emphasizing the importance of centrally contracted players’ involvement in domestic cricket tournaments. With the aim of ensuring match fitness and maintaining a competitive edge, Shah revealed plans to issue directives mandating player availability for domestic cricket, with particular attention to red-ball cricket participation.
This directive, according to Shah, aims to provide selectors, coaches, and captains with the necessary authority in player selection while ensuring that centrally contracted players fulfill their domestic cricket commitments. Additionally, Shah stressed the significance of match practice for contracted players, highlighting the directive’s objective of enhancing the overall competitiveness of Indian cricket.
“I am going to write a letter tomorrow that if the chairman of selectors, coach or captain tell you that you have to play red-ball cricket, then you have to play. We will follow the NCA [National Cricket Academy] medical staff advice on player fitness. If you are fit then no excuse [for not playing] will be entertained.
“This applies to all centrally contracted players, they have to play. The player cannot decide his future, the selectors need to decide that. If the player is good in red-ball, he has to play [the format].”
As discussions continue regarding India’s participation in the 2025 Champions Trophy in Pakistan, Shah reiterated that the final decision rests with the government, underscoring the influence of political ties on cricketing decisions between India and Pakistan.
“India’s position [on travelling to Pakistan] would be based on what the government decides,” he said.
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