Rohit is back in the saddle
New Delhi – India’s new whiteball skipper Rohit Sharma (above) starts his full-time ODI tenure tomorrow as his team play the West Indies in their 1 000th one-day international, the first side ever to reach the milestone.
The encounter at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad is the first of a threematch series but will be played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.
India passed 500 000 deaths from the virus yesterday, although infection rates in the current Omicron outbreak have slowed in recent days.
“I was the captain of India in the 500th ODI,” India’s cricket chief Sourav Ganguly told Indian magazine Sportstar – a 2002 game against England in Chesterle-Street.
“It is a big moment for Indian cricket, but unfortunately, the match will be played without a crowd.”
The hosts have been hit by the virus themselves with four players including Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer and Ruturaj Gaikwad being isolated after testing positive.
Mayank Agarwal has been added to the squad and will be a candidate to open the batting alongside Rohit, although vice-captain KL Rahul remains a possibility.
The 34-year-old Rohit, who took over the Twenty20 and then ODI captaincy from Virat Kohli, was ruled out of India’s tour of South Africa by a hamstring injury, when the visitors lost the Test series 2-1 and were whitewashed 3-0 in the ODIs.
He is leading the one-day side in a year that will see the T20 World Cup in Australia, and is favourite to be named Test captain as well.
Indian broadcasters have been promoting the West Indies series with a song on Rohit’s comeback likely to boost the hosts, and the star batsman acknowledged the compliment.
“Humbled by the lovely rap @ StarSportsIndia. Looking forward to be back on the field and take inspiration from the fans’ continued support as India takes on West Indies,” Rohit wrote on Twitter.
India have home advantage but will face a tough challenge against the West Indies, fresh from a 3-2 T20 triumph against England at home.
The Windies, two-time ODI World Cup winners, celebrated the series win after their disastrous T20 World Cup defence.
The ODIs will be followed by three T20 matches at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.