Rohit Sharma crowned all-format captain | Cricket News – Times of India

MUMBAI: The coronation of Rohit Sharma in place of Virat Kohli as India’s captain across all three formats is complete. As expected, India’s chief selector Chetan Sharma on Saturday named Rohit as India’s new Test captain — weeks after Kohli resigned following the series defeat in South Africa — while announcing the squads for the three T20Is against Sri Lanka and the two-Test series, against the same team, at home next month.
The star opener was given the white-ball captaincy just a couple of months back. Sharma said that he considered Rohit Sharma the “No. 1 cricketer” in the country, making it clear that the batsman will lead the team when fit.

Pacer Jasprit Bumrah will be Rohit’s deputy in both the T20I and Test series. KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Bumrah will be groomed as future captains under the 34-year-old’s leadership, according to Chetan Sharma.

The selectors have finally run out of patience with the struggling Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, whose poor form played a big part in India losing the Test series in South Africa. Both the senior batsmen have been dropped, along with two other veteran players in wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha and pacer Ishant Sharma.

While the chief selector revealed that all four have been asked to play in the Ranji Trophy to regain their form, it’s understood that this could be the end of the road for at least three of them. “They could’ve been out of the South Africa series as well, but the team management wanted them to continue that time,” a source revealed.

“We told them to go and play in the Ranji Trophy,” Chetan Sharma said. However, considering that Rahane was kept out despite scoring 129 against Saurashtra in the Ranji, the message to these four is loud and clear. “The best part is that they are such senior players and they are going and playing Ranji Trophy. The selectors are giving a lot of attention to domestic cricket and Ranji Trophy,” Sharma said.

A new face in the Test squad is Uttar Pradesh left-arm spinning allrounder Saurabh Kumar, who has been drafted in because Axar Patel is only expected to be fit for the second Test.

Having recovered from his injury, left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja will be back. The 18-man Test squad also sees the return of chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav.

PANT, KOHLI RESTED FOR T20Is AGAINST LANKA
Kohli and Rishabh Pant have been given a break from the T20Is against Lanka. Sanju Samson has earned a recall in the T20Is. KL Rahul and Washington Sundar have been ruled out of the series, while Shardul Thakur has been “rested”. Ashwin will be available subject to fitness.
‘WHY NO SARFARAZ, GAIKWAD FOR TESTS?’
Former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar has questioned the exclusion of the consistent Sarfaraz Khan and Ruturaj Gaikwad from the Test squad.
Continuing his blazing form from the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy season, in which he scored 952 runs in just six games @ 154.66, Mumbai’s Sarfaraz slammed 275 against Saurashtra in the Ranji opener at Ahmedabad on Friday.
“It seems there is no application of mind (by the selectors). How can one explain the omission of Ruturaj and Sarfaraz, the two most prolific scorers in domestic circuit? A couple of players haven’t done much to merit their place. Ruturaj and Sarfaraz deserve a place. The selectors are damaging their morale,” Vengsarkar said.