Rohit Sharma walking on tightrope as Champions Trophy final set to decide his India future: 'If he chooses to retire...'

The result of the Champions Trophy 2025 final between India and New Zealand on Sunday could have far-reaching consequences for Indian cricket. At the center of these, according to a report from Times of India, is captain Rohit Sharma, whose future in leadership roles could be determined in the coming weeks. India's captain Rohit Sharma during the Champions Trophy semi-final(AP)

According to the report, the BCCI is keen on having a stable captain to plan for the next two years. There could be tough conversations about moving on from Rohit as captain in ODIs and Tests, with the board holding off on announcing new central contracts until after the final against New Zealand.

As per the report, chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir have spoken with the BCCI and Rohit regarding the future course of action after returning from India’s tour of Australia earlier this year.

"Rohit still believes there is some cricket left in him. He has been told to communicate his plans going forward. Retiring is his call but there will be another discussion around continuing with captaincy. Rohit himself understands the need to have a stable captain if the team wants to prepare for a World Cup. There have been talks with Kohli too, but there doesn’t seem to be much anxiety around him," a BCCI source told the newspaper.

The board reportedly wanted to assess the team’s performance in the Champions Trophy following a difficult Test season. This has led to a reevaluation of Grade A+ contracts, currently held by Rohit, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja.

With BCCI’s policy favoring players who perform across all three formats for A+ contracts, concerns have emerged regarding Rohit, Kohli, and Jadeja, who have all retired from T20Is and faced a challenging red-ball season. However, a strong showing in the Champions Trophy could also keep their positions intact.

“The board will wait for Rohit’s decision after the Champions Trophy. If by any chance he chooses to retire, then the board will see what needs to be done. One can’t discount the fact that he won the T20 World Cup in July and has led well in the Champions Trophy as well,” the source added.

Past transitions

In the past years, MS Dhoni stepped down as white-ball captain two years before the 2019 ODI World Cup, allowing Kohli ample time to settle into the role. Similarly, Kohli relinquished T20I captaincy in 2021, paving way for Rohit. The 37-year-old also took over in ODIs in the same year, giving Rohit two years to lead the team into the 2023 World Cup.

With 2027 World Cup two years away, ODI vice-captain Shubman Gill is still developing as a leader.

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