Manoj Tiwary, who shared the Indian dressing room with Rohit Sharma in the past, said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has disrespected the opening batter's contributions to the nation
by unceremoniously removing him from his role as ODI captain.
Tiwary highlighted Rohit's achievements as India's captain, helping the Men in Blue win marquee events like the T20 World Cup in 2024 and the Champions Trophy this year. The former Bengal captain said that the people running Indian cricket want to have only young players in the side, and that is why they are trying to sideline Rohit and Virat Kohli.
Tiwary feels that Rohit being stripped of captaincy serves as an ultimatum for the Mumbai batter that he needs to perform or he will have to perish. The cricketer-turned-expert opined that Rohit should not continue playing after having to endure such humiliation.
1. As we talked about Rohit Sharma earlier, you mentioned that the Bronco test was made for players like him. But looking at his current fitness, what do you think is the main reason behind the BCCI taking the captaincy away from him?
The main reason behind this is obviously very difficult to answer at this point in time. But what has happened is truly unfortunate. I feel it’s a clear sign of disrespect to Rohit Sharma, considering all that he has done for Team India and Indian cricket. Looking at it that way, this feels like an insult to him. His contributions to the team have been immense. Taking away the captaincy - I honestly can’t find any valid reason for it. When you appoint a captain, what do you expect from him? You expect results. And he has delivered those results.
He led India to the Champions Trophy, won the T20 World Cup, and came agonizingly close in the 50-over World Cup. As a captain and as a player, his performances speak for themselves - even in the Champions Trophy final, he was the Player of the Match. So yes, it’s very unfortunate. I truly believe he deserved much more respect. The only possible reason I can think of is that whoever is currently running the team wants to have all young players under his own tenure — so that he can control the entire narrative, basically.
2. There’s a reel currently trending on social media where Rohit Sharma mentions that he would love to play in the ICC World Cup 2027. What’s your take on that?
Look, the viral reel you’re talking about is actually from an interview before he took over the captaincy. At that time, he was thinking about taking revenge as a captain - to lead the team to victory. He would have never imagined that one day, he’d be the one to lose his captaincy. Now, the scenario is completely different. I think it’s going to be a very tough journey ahead for him, because those who made this decision are probably waiting for him to fail in Australia or in the next series, just to have another reason to remove him completely. You can see it in their behavior, in the comments, in the statements. They don’t even seem to be looking at him the same way anymore. There’s no clarity or commitment toward him right now.
So, I don’t think he’s really in their plans anymore. Everything now depends on his performance. If I were Rohit Sharma, I would have considered retirement after this. Because a player like him doesn’t deserve this kind of humiliation. He didn’t just win one ICC trophy - he won two. He came so close in the ODI World Cup as well, performing brilliantly both as a captain and as a player. And let’s not forget - he has five IPL trophies to his name. After all of that, to be treated this way is just not right. Personally, I don’t think he should continue after being disrespected like this. But only time will tell what decision he takes. If you ask me, before they push him out, it would be better if he himself steps away — at least that way, he can leave with his dignity intact.
3. Ajit Agarkar said that both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are non-committal about the 2027 World Cup. What do you think — will both of them play in the World Cup or not?
What’s the real purpose of taking the captaincy away from Rohit Sharma? What could possibly be the reason? It’s like they’re saying, “You can only play as a player now.” But when you’re just a player, and if you don’t perform, your place in the Playing XI is not guaranteed. No one can assure you’ll stay in the team till 2027 if you don’t perform. Whereas when you’re a captain, even if your performance dips a bit, your position in the team still remains secure because of your leadership role. Now they’ve taken that away. As a captain, what does a leader want? He wants to play in his own style, lead in his own way, and Rohit has shown exactly that. He has led from the front, keeping the opposition under pressure right from the first game, using an aggressive yet smart approach.
In that style of play, you might not always get big scores, but you deliver impactful innings. Rohit has done that, and he’s shown results; the trophies speak for themselves. Now, it’s just a matter of time to see how things unfold. If, in the upcoming series, both Rohit and Virat struggle for runs, there’s a real possibility that the selectors will start questioning whether these two should continue in the future, because they’re both playing in only one format. Before the selection, too, it was heard that there was communication happening with Virat, but clearly, that communication isn’t transparent. The fitness test, which was supposed to happen in Bangalore, took place in England instead. These behind-the-scenes decisions don’t seem right, and they’re creating unnecessary controversies. Now, you can understand why all this is happening. You mentioned Rohit Sharma possibly retiring as captain.
