Rohit Sharma will need to have felt very lonely as he walked up the lengthy staircase of the Motera Stadium whereas shaking arms with whoever got here in his means on the catastrophic Sunday night time. A World Cup last defeat like this may need felt like a stab within the chest. He wanted to shortly depart that area. While it might seem that the world has collapsed round Rohit Sharma, now’s the time greater than ever that the Indian cricket workforce wants him on the helm for not less than two extra years in longer codecs.

When Rahul Dravid’s captaincy stint resulted in 2007, Dhoni was a prepared substitute within the workforce and when Dhoni departed, there was already a succession plan in type of Virat Kohli. And Rohit was able to take the mantle from Kohli.

But in a workforce the place the kids are years away from taking the management function, the selectors may have no alternative however to proceed with Rohit.

Listening to educate Rahul Dravid, you get an concept how invested he was in his workforce and maybe the explanation, each ounce of emotion appeared to have been sucked out of his system after Sunday’s debacle.

“He’s been an exceptional leader. Rohit’s really led this team fantastically. He’s given so much of his time and energy in the dressing room to the boys. He’s always been available for any of our conversations, any of our meetings,” Dravid mentioned after the match.

‘Captain Sharma’ spoilt us within the final six weeks along with his daredevil batting at high, the way in which he used his bowlers and for bringing a splash of humour from time to time throughout a tense marketing campaign. And identical to his easy pull-shots, Rohit by no means needed to attempt being humorous. He has that streak in him.

And while you see him damaged, someplace part of you additionally break.

“He’s given a lot of his personal time, energy into this campaign. And he wanted to lead by example. Right through the tournament, he was quite superb in doing that. I just can’t speak more highly of him as a person and as a leader,” Dravid added.

Rohit is 36 plus and in 2027, he will likely be 40 when South Africa host the following World Cup. Perhaps the prospect of profitable a 50-over World Cup, which his reverse Pat Cumins termed as the top of sport has handed by him.

But as an alternative of discovering a fast substitute of him, the Indian cricket authorities ought to have Rohit main the bunch for the following two years which might be essential for Indian cricket earlier than it as soon as once more begins hitting one other transition button.

Obviously, at his age, Rohit should decide and select the bilateral ODI collection, particularly the white-ball ones that he desires to play.

In Test cricket, he has been India’s greatest batter throughout all situations within the publish COVID-19 part and the workforce wants him greater than ever.

The new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle has simply began and it will finish in 2025 together with ICC Champions Trophy.

Indian cricket truly wants Rohit Sharma as its chief and mentor until that point and this must be non-negotiable.

The cause being India doesn’t have any readymade captain for ODIs and Test matches.

For T20 Internationals, they’ve earmarked Hardik Pandya however for ODIs, one wants a special mindset and regardless that Hardik was designated deputy throughout the World Cup, his health and workload would at all times be a problem. There are two extra selections although – KL Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah, who did lead India in a one-off Test collection and a mini T20 collection in Ireland.

But each Rahul and Bumrah have not precisely regarded like mature captains.

Rahul has been an IPL captain for lengthy, main Kings XI Pujab and Lucknow Super Ginats however is but to win a title.

He additionally led India on the 2021-22 tour of South Africa however misplaced one Test and all three ODIs.

And herein lies the issue. ‘Captain Sharma’ has imbibed a special taking part in philosophy on this workforce and for that to proceed, he must be in greatest way of thinking and lead the workforce in not less than two codecs.

The BCCI and nationwide choice committee wants to offer him time to groom his inheritor to the new seat.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)