Is Rohit Sharma's Captaincy A Real Cause Of Concern For India?

Bhargav Dixit

Rohit led India to a 3-0 series loss vs NZ [Source: PTI]Rohit led India to a 3-0 series loss vs NZ [Source: PTI]

From captaining India in a triumphant ICC T20 World Cup campaign to leading them to an infamous 0-3 series loss against New Zealand in November, Rohit Sharma has had a roller-coaster of a year in 2024. In fact, if you bring ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 into the picture, one further understands the higher highs and lower lows that can accompany a captain within a 12-month period in international sport.

Irrespective of what the critics and trolls have said about Sharma in the aftermath of India's first whitewash in a series of three or more Tests at home, one has to give it to him for admitting his fault right after the culmination of the third match at the Wankhede Stadium.

"And, yes, we, I fully take the responsibility for that as a captain and as a leader as well. I have not been at the best of my abilities right from the start of the series. And yeah, with the bat as well, I've not been good enough," Sharma told the reporters during the post-match press conference in Mumbai on Sunday.

Has Rohit Sharma Justified The Captaincy Tag?

In terms of the overall win-loss ratio, yes. Without an iota of doubt. In terms of title wins? Maybe not.

Among the 51 cricketers who have led in 100 or more international matches across formats, only Sharma (72.51%) has a winning percentage in excess of 70. The next on the list is former Australia captain Ricky Ponting (67.9%), Sharma's predecessor at Mumbai Indians 11 years ago. The two, who later worked together in the IPL as a captain-coach pair, are also among the four captains to have a winning percentage of more than 70 in ODIs (min. 40 matches).

Fifth in the list of Indian cricketers who have played most matches as a captain across formats, Sharma (79.03%) is only behind Afghanistan's Asghar Afghan (80.76%) among captains with the highest win percentage in T20Is (min. 50 matches).

However, it is the ancestral format where Sharma has found it hard to cope and, instead, copped immense reproval. While 12 Test wins keep Sharma in the fifth position among Indian captains, seven losses within three years have hurt fans the most. Readers must note that five Test losses at home put his name just behind Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi (9). Furthermore, no Indian captain has lost five home Tests in the last five decades.

Sharma, whose four overseas Tests as captain have come in West Indies and South Africa, doesn't really have a lot to boast about in this aspect. Therefore, it wouldn't be wrong to assume that Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-2025 has it in it to be his third and last chance.

Speaking particularly of ICC tournaments for a while, Sharma led India to the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final, ICC World Test Championship 2021-2023 final and 2023 World Cup final before winning the T20 silverware earlier this year. 

With India not guaranteed to qualify for the final of the ongoing WTC, ICC Champions Trophy 2025 could mostly be Sharma's last leadership attempt at a global tournament. It is needless to say, one expects him to return home as a champion because one title win out of five tournaments is pretty second-rate for a contemporary Indian cricket team comprising unparalleled first-class talent.

Should Rohit Sharma's Leadership Agonise India?

In all honesty, putting fingers just on Sharma's captaincy would be unfair to detractors of his batting.

As a matter of fact, a combination comprising Sharma's own aforementioned admission, batting form, fitness and age has it in it to be a cause of concern for both the Indian cricket team and its fans. Anyone who says otherwise is either biased or not speaking the truth. Hence, Sharma, the whole package, must engage in self-introspection at this crucial juncture of his 17-year-old international career.

Considering the possible upside of India's tour of Australia, which is scheduled to commence later this month, Sharma must realise how leading India to a historic third consecutive Test series victory down under would make fans forget the screw-up against the Kiwis. 

That being said, considering the repercussions of a five-match Test series in Australia, Sharma must also realise how it could be the end of the road for him in the format if he doesn't turn the tables both as a captain and as a player.

While only time will tell which of these two outcomes becomes Sharma's truth in a couple of months, fans can feel free to envisage.