Rohit Sharma Likely to Remain Captain for England Test Series Following Champions Trophy Triumph
Rohit Sharma is expected to continue as captain for the upcoming Test series against England after leading India to a spectacular victory in the Champions Trophy 2025. Under Rohit’s leadership, the team won all their matches in the tournament, culminating in a title win against New Zealand in the final. This success has silenced doubts about his future as captain after a disappointing Test series against Australia, where he managed only 31 runs across three matches. According to a report by the Indian Express, Rohit now has the backing of the BCCI to lead the team.
A source told the Indian Express, "He has shown what he can do. Every stakeholder feels that he is the right candidate to lead the Indian side for the tour of England. Rohit too has expressed his eagerness to keep playing red-ball cricket."
Meanwhile, cricket legend Ricky Ponting highlighted that while Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli‘s experience was crucial to India’s success in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, the team’s all-rounders provided exceptional support. Ponting praised Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Hardik Pandya for their outstanding performances throughout the tournament.
In his review for the ICC, Ponting said, "Their all-rounders right through the tournament were outstanding." He added, "I said at the start of the tournament I thought India would be really hard to beat because of their overall balance and that mix of youth and experience. Once again, in a final, the captain stood up and got the job done for his team."
India’s playing XI featured three all-rounders in all five matches of the Champions Trophy, giving the team incredible batting depth and multiple bowling options. Ponting elaborated, "They were a very well-balanced side anyway, but because they had so many all-rounders… when you’ve got Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, who they used up the order on a number of occasions for that left-handed option, and with Jadeja there as well, they were a very well-balanced team."
While Ponting noted that India may have appeared slightly light on fast bowling, he emphasized that it didn’t impact their performance. "That’s where Hardik Pandya’s role becomes really important—to be able to bowl with a new ball and get through some overs early to make it a little bit easier for the spinners in the backend of their Powerplay and through the middle overs," he explained.
(With IANS inputs)
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