Following Team India’s resounding defeat to Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 finals, calls for a change in leadership, particularly in terms of captaincy, have grown louder. Many experts and pundits have advocated for Rohit Sharma’s replacement as captain. However, it appears unlikely that this change will occur in the near future.

As the ODI World Cup approaches, Rohit Sharma and the Indian team have an excellent opportunity to silence their critics. Hosting the tournament on home soil, similar to their successful campaign in the 2011 edition, presents a significant advantage. Since their triumph in the 2013 Champions Trophy, Team India has not lifted an ICC trophy and has not hosted a major tournament since the 2011 World Cup.

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All three of India’s ICC titles – the T20 World Cup in 2007, the ODI World Cup in 2011, and the Champions Trophy in 2013 – were won under the captaincy of the legendary wicketkeeper-batsman MS Dhoni. The speculation surrounding a change in captaincy has been ongoing, and former India selector and cricketing great Dilip Vengsarkar shared his views on the matter.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Vengsarkar expressed his disappointment with the current state of affairs, particularly with the selectors in recent years. He criticized their lack of vision, deep knowledge of the game, and cricketing sense. Vengsarkar cited the example of Shikhar Dhawan being appointed captain during tours when key players were unavailable, emphasizing the need to groom future leaders during such opportunities.

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Vengsarkar, a member of the historic 1983 World Cup-winning team, took a strong stance against the previous selectors, highlighting their failure to develop suitable candidates who could succeed Rohit as captain. “Where is the bench strength? Just having the IPL and earning crores of rupees in media rights should not be the only achievement,” Dilip Vengsarkar remarked, expressing his concern about the lack of a strong talent pool.

As Team India prepares for the ODI World Cup, the discussions surrounding a potential leadership change continue to gain traction. While Rohit Sharma’s captaincy remains under scrutiny, the focus now shifts to the team’s performance in the upcoming tournament and their ability to prove the skeptics wrong.