Australia National Cricket Team legend Matthew Hayden has labeled India's decision to sack Rohit Sharma and bring in Shubman Gill as ODI captain as an "interesting move".
Matthew Hayden reckoned that Rohit Sharma has been axed purely because of the age factor, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to hand Shubman Gill the leadership as an "insurance policy".
The BCCI sacked Rohit Sharma as the ODI skipper ahead of the Australia tour despite him being an exceptional leader and winning back-to-back ICC trophies.
He made India a dominant force in world cricket and ended the wait of over a decade for the ICC title by steering India to ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 and ICC Champions Trophy 2025 triumphs.
Rohit led India from the front in all the tournaments he captained and played sensational innings at the top. He has already retired from Test and T20I cricket and has now set eyes on a spot in India's 2027 World Cup squad.
Meanwhile, Matthew Hayden said that Rohit Sharma becomes a vulnerable player because of the age factor.
“Rohit being axed as captain was an interesting move from afar. After such a great win in the Champions Trophy, I suppose the selectors are purely looking at the numbers. At 38, with a couple of years to go before the World Cup, he becomes a bit vulnerable purely because of his age.," said Hayden on JioStar.
It would just be a bonus if Rohit makes it to the next World Cup - Matthew Hayden
Matthew Hayden further stated that Shubman Gill will get to learn from his predecessor in the dressing room, and Rohit Sharma making it to the next 50-over World Cup would be a bonus for India. He said:
“The talent and class are always on display, and so is that magnificent body of work, not only in terms of his own performances, but also India’s success as a team. Very similar to the Virat and Dhoni eras, lots of success.”
“But I guess it’s a bit of an insurance policy to bring on Shubman Gill, ensure he’s in charge across all formats, and particularly help him learn leadership while Rohit Sharma is still in the dressing room. It would just be a bonus if Rohit makes it to the next World Cup,” he added.
Also Read: Virat Kohli, Rohit schooling Shubman Gill on captaincy: India teammate makes big revelation
Having Rohit Sharma in the house, having Virat in the house, that's gold - Matthew Hayden
In another interaction, Matthew Hayden said that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will act as the mentors in the Indian dressing room.
"Having Rohit in the house, having Virat in the house, that's gold. They're not just players; they're mentors in the dugout. I hope it's not their last [tour], but you can't play forever, unfortunately,” he added.
"Look, more than likely. But they're going to have their mind's eye on the 2027 World Cup. And so they should. I was kind of surprised, actually, that after the Champions Trophy, Rohit was unpacked as captain. But I also get it. Shubman Gill is being groomed. It takes time to build a leader,” said Hayden on the launch of Test Twenty.
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