BCCI backs Rohit Sharma amid ODI future debate : ‘He is playing superbly’
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia on Thursday strongly backed Rohit Sharma amid speculation over the former India captain’s future in the ODI team, saying the veteran batter has been “playing superbly” and there was no reason to question his place in the side.
Rohit, who now plays only ODIs after retiring from Test cricket last year and T20Is in 2024, has faced continued scrutiny over his place in the Indian team.
“He is playing superbly in all matches. So what more do you want? In the last match (against England), he scored 138 runs, so why is there speculation? I do not want to give some fodder for the speculators,” Saikia told reporters after the BCCI’s review meeting.
The meeting was attended by Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill, T20I skipper Shreyas Iyer, head coach Gautam Gambhir and VVS Laxman, director of cricket at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar was absent from the meeting as he was out of station and could not join online because of connectivity issues, Saikia said.
Asked whether Agarkar’s contract extension was discussed, Saikia said there was no such discussion.
“There was no such discussion in today’s meeting,” he said.
Saikia also rejected speculation that Laxman could be appointed as the BCCI’s director of cricket.
“We did not have any such kind of discussion, (and) neither do we have such (an) intention,” he said.
On the Indian men’s and women’s teams travelling to Japan for the Asian Games, Saikia said the BCCI would ensure the players and support staff received the best possible facilities if any issue arose.
The Asian Games are scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4.
Saikia said the BCCI had offered four venues to the International Cricket Council for next year’s inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy after Sri Lanka was unable to host the tournament.
“At the last moment, now at the eleventh hour, Sri Lanka could not host this tournament. BCCI offered four venues, out of which two venues were selected,” he said.
He added that the BCCI was always ready to accommodate international events at short notice.
