Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has expressed his disappointment over Rohit Sharma’s removal as India’s ODI captain, saying BCCI top brass, including Jay Shah, should have intervened to prevent the decision. Tiwary hailed Rohit as a “players’ captain” and argued that under his leadership, India’s chances of winning the 2027 World Cup in South Africa and Zimbabwe would be significantly higher compared to Shubman Gill, who succeeded him.

Rohit was replaced less than six months after leading India to the Champions Trophy, with Gill taking over from the Australia tour in October. Tiwary emphasized Rohit’s strong rapport with youngsters and his proven leadership record, noting that India had enjoyed unbeaten runs and major victories under him, including the 2024 T20 World Cup.

While backing Gill to succeed in the quadrennial tournament, Tiwary maintained that Rohit’s experience and strategic acumen would have given India an estimated 85% chance of lifting the trophy, compared to 60% under Gill. He highlighted that the decision to shift leadership was part of a long-term plan, giving Gill nearly two years to settle in, but felt it came at the cost of losing the advantage of Rohit’s established captaincy.

At 38, Rohit will be close to 40 by the 2027 World Cup, but he and Virat Kohli have continued to deliver match-winning performances in ODIs, with Kohli reclaiming the No. 1 ICC ranking and Rohit scoring consistently across eight matches, underscoring their ongoing value to the team.