Compelling Reasons To Retain Rohit Sharma As India's Test Captain Despite WTC Final Defeat

India, led by Rohit Sharma, suffered another loss in an important cricket tournament. This time, they were defeated by a margin of 209 runs by Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final on Sunday, June 11.

Australia emerged as the deserving winners as they dominated the entire five-day match. Rohit Sharma, after winning the toss, elected to field first, giving Australia the opportunity to bat. Despite early dismissals of Usman Khawaja, David Warner, and Marnus Labuschagne, Australia displayed an extraordinary performance and managed to accumulate a massive total of 326 runs, thanks to a remarkable century by Travis Head. On Day 2, Steve Smith also reached the century mark, contributing to Australia's first-innings score of 449.

India faced a challenging task ahead of them once again in a crucial knockout game. Unfortunately, their top order struggled and they found themselves at 71/4.

However, impressive performances from Ravindra Jadeja (scoring 48) and Shardul Thakur (scoring 51), along with an incredible 89 from Ajinkya Rahane, helped India reach a total of 296 runs in their first innings.

In the second innings, Australia made a declaration at 270/8, setting an ambitious target of 444 runs for India to chase. Shubman Gill and captain Rohit made a solid start, and later Pujara and Rohit built a partnership of fifty runs to stabilize the situation.

After the dismissals of Rohit and Pujara, it was Kohli and Rahane who brought a spark of hope for the Indian team. They formed an impressive partnership, showing great skill and determination, and managed to finish the day without facing any further difficulties.

But what happened on Day 5 was a complete disaster for the top-ranked Test team in the world. Virat and Rahane made careless shots that were far away from their body, and once they were dismissed, India had no chance of making a comeback in the Test match. The Australian team easily dismissed the remaining lower-order batsmen, resulting in a significant victory for Australia.

After their loss, Rohit proposed the idea of having a best-of-three finals for the next cycle of the World Test Championship. Despite India's defeat against Australia, they have consistently performed well in this format, and Rohit should still be given the opportunity to lead the Test side.

Rohit Sharma, along with Kohli and Pujara, has been a standout performer in India's batting lineup.

Now, let's explore three reasons why it makes sense for Rohit Sharma to continue as India's Test captain.

1. Rohit has been India's most exceptional batsman throughout the history of the World Test Championship

Ever since Rohit Sharma took on the role of leading the Indian cricket team in all formats, he hasn't quite been his usual calm and effortless self.

He has faced difficulties in consistently scoring runs, especially in limited-overs matches. However, when it comes to the longest format of the game, Rohit has proven to be one of the best performers among Indian players.

During the recently concluded World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, Rohit played 11 matches and accumulated an impressive total of 758 runs, maintaining an average of 42.11. It's worth noting that in the previous WTC cycle from 2019 to 2021, the 'Hitman' scored an outstanding 1,094 runs, with an average of 60.77.

He has displayed remarkable patience and skill when facing the new ball in challenging away conditions, and he even achieved his first century in England during the last tour in 2021.

Whenever he has taken his time at the crease, he has shown great form and potential. Even in the WTC final, he seemed destined for a high score before making an unfortunate mistake with his shot selection.

While Rohit has faced criticism for some of his decisions as captain, he received praise from various experts for his choices later in the WTC final.

As he is still relatively new to his Test captaincy role, it is important for him to continue leading the team despite the disappointment of another letdown in an ICC tournament.

2. Great leadership abilities and a composed nature when dealing with people

Rohit was given the responsibility of leading the Indian cricket team as captain because of his outstanding performance as captain for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has achieved remarkable success, guiding the Mumbai Indians to win an impressive five titles in a span of just nine years. His captaincy prowess places him among the most successful captains in the IPL, alongside the legendary MS Dhoni.

Several young players, such as Ishan Kishan and Mohammed Siraj, have expressed admiration for Rohit and his approach to handling his team.

While he may come across as using strong language on the field, it is evident from his players' testimonials that he treats them well and sincerely desires their success.

Similar to MS Dhoni, Rohit has always been a relaxed individual who allows his players to showcase their abilities and play to their strengths.

In contrast to the Kohli era, where the team displayed a more naturally aggressive style, Rohit's captaincy has certainly contributed to the team's ability to navigate challenging situations with a calm and composed demeanor.

3. Rohit strategically outwits his opponents and remains calm under pressure

During the WTC final, we witnessed Rohit keeping his composure despite facing tough circumstances, especially when the Australian team showcased some incredible batting skills that added to the pressure. Although Travis Head managed to escape in the first innings, Rohit strategically set up a plan to trap him in the second innings as soon as he stepped onto the field.

Initially, Rohit's tactics didn't immediately bring the desired outcome, but eventually, Ravindra Jadeja managed to outsmart Head. Rohit made some excellent decisions on Day 4, accurately predicting certain situations and making effective changes in the bowling lineup, which resulted in positive outcomes.

However, when it came to critical moments, the batsmen couldn't quite perform as expected, leading to a significant defeat for the Indian team.

Conclusion -

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