Rohit Sharma's conclusion to 2024 was less than favorable, and the commencement of 2025 has not shown much improvement. The new year commenced in a manner reminiscent of the previous year, immediately following the defeat in the Melbourne Test, with the cricketing world rife with conjecture regarding Rohit's future in Test cricket. This speculation reached a climax on Thursday, as the Indian captain "opted out" of the decisive Border-Gavaskar Trophy match against Australia in Sydney, amid his declining performance with the bat. With Rohit yet to provide clarity on his future in this format, the discussions have opened avenues for the BCCI's selection committee to consider alternative leadership options for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy.

Rohit announced his retirement from T20I cricket last June after India secured the T20 World Cup, with Suryakumar Yadav assuming the captaincy shortly thereafter. In the Test arena, Jasprit Bumrah, who previously led India to a significant victory in Perth, appears to be the frontrunner to captain the national team in this traditional format.

Amid growing speculation regarding Rohit's future across various formats, and with the evident transition within the Indian team under head coach Gautam Gambhir, a report from My Khel suggested that the BCCI is already assessing leadership possibilities in ODI cricket.

The report indicated that should Rohit's position as ODI captain come into question or if the selectors opt to alleviate the pressure on the 37-year-old, Hardik Pandya may emerge as a potential successor. The all-rounder has already demonstrated his leadership capabilities in white-ball formats over the past two years.

"Hardik possesses a talent for leading in high-pressure scenarios, and his dual experience as an all-rounder and captain positions him as an ideal candidate for an ICC tournament such as the Champions Trophy," a source informed MyKhel.

Why is Hardik Pandya the strongest contender to replace Rohit Sharma?

India haven't largely been in favour of split captaincy. But with Suryakumar Yadav, India's T20I skipper, not having cemented his place in the ODI set-up, it is unlikely that he would be named the captain in 50-overs cricket. Other players who could be in the mix to replace Rohit are Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill.

The report added that with Gill requiring time to evolve into a mature leader, Hardik emerges as the strongest contender to take over the ODI duties from Rohit.

"Gill needs more grooming to mature into a leader, and SKY's ODI performances haven't been convincing enough. Hardik remains the most balanced option to lead India in ODIs if Rohit is unavailable," the source added.

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