Separate Captains For India After Champions Trophy 2025? Reports Says "Next Few Months..."

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wants to appoint two different captains -- one for white-ball formats and one for red-ball cricket -- after the conclusion of the Champions Trophy. According to a report, the call is likely to be taken once India captain Rohit Sharma is no longer in captaincy contention. Following captain Rohit's retirement from T20Is, Suryakumar Yadav is leading the team in the shortest format. All-rounder Axar Patel, on the other hand, is Suryakumar's deputy in T20Is.

According to a report in Dainik Jagran, the Indian team management wants to appoint separate captains for white-ball formats and Test cricket.

"Jasprit Bumrah is the leading candidate to become the Test captain, if he is fit. Suryakumar's recent performance with the bat has been bad. The next few months will be crucial for the Indian team," the report quoted a BCCI source as saying.

The report further said, if India win the Champions Trophy 2025 final, there is a high possibility that Rohit might continue only as a player in ODIs. The captaincy will then pass on to a younger player - either Hardik Pandya or Shubman Gill, according to the report - while Rohit will continue to play, provided he is selected, for as long as he likes.

Most of the international teams have two different captains, one for white-ball cricket and the other one for Tests.

Rohit is the first captain ever to take his team to the finals of all four ICC events. He will lead his team out on Sunday in the Champions Trophy final against New Zealand in Dubai.

Ahead of the final, former India head coach Ravi Shastri issued a word of caution for the Rohit-led side.

The veteran player is not wrong in his assessment as New Zealand prevailed over India in the ICC knockouts in the past, having won three out of four games played between them over the years.

"If there's one team that can beat India, it's New Zealand. So India start as favourites but only just," Shastri said in The ICC Review.

Shastri predicted that Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson and Rachin Ravindra would play pivotal roles on Sunday if their teams were to claim the title.

"Now (on) current form, Kohli. When these guys get hot and you let them get their first 10 runs, then they're trouble. Whether it's Williamson, whether it's Kohli," Shastri said.

"So from New Zealand, I would say Williamson. To an extent, Rachin Ravindra, he is a fabulous young player. But these guys when they smell the coffee and you let them, in a final, get to that 10-15, then they're doubly dangerous."

(With IANS Inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Rohit Sharma Jasprit Bumrah Suryakumar Yadav Shubman Gill Cricket