Rohit Sharma’s future in the Indian cricket team seems to be uncertain, after getting removed from ODI captaincy, the only format he plays for the Indian team. The Board of Control for Cricket recently named Shubman Gill as the ODI captain. This decision by BCCI was met with mixed responses, while some felt it was too early a decision to put a youngster on the pedestal of captain, with limited experience. Others felt it was necessary, keeping the 2027 World Cup and long-term planning in mind. Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa has expressed that the captaincy change would have a negative impact on Rohit’s role as an aggressive batter as an opener.

If one gets to notice Rohit Sharma, he has an aggressive style of batting with ball one. His selfless approach is what lifts the team, the clear examples are in the World Cup 2023 and Champions Trophy 2025. Uthappa has stated that the former Indian captain would be more likely to adopt a cautious approach, from now.

Robin Uthappa on Rohit Sharma’s changing approach

"Rohit Sharma is someone who has upped the ante even in one-day cricket. Over the last three or four years, he has played at a much quicker clip, and I think that's been a transformation of sorts for him," Uthappa pointed out, speaking on The KimAppa Show.

"The shift in the way he (Rohit) approaches one-day cricket has changed. I think he has probably found a sweet spot with that. There are times I feel he doesn't need to be so aggressive. I think he was leading from the front, and he wanted to do that.”

"Now, he would probably be a little more circumspect because it would have been much more difficult to drop a captain versus now as a player. They (the selectors) have also said both these players will be picked on merit. So, I think they (Rohit and Virat Kohli) will be a little more cautious before being uber-aggressive," Uthappa said.

So in conclusion, Rohit’s final match as ODI captain was in the Champions Trophy final, after which he clearly announced that he had no plans on retiring from the ODIs.

The concern is regarding Rohit Sharma’s form and fitness, who would turn 40 by the time of the 2027 ODI World Cup. But to cool off all the concerns, Rohit Sharma has recently lost 10 kilos, as posted by assistant Abhishek Nayar on social media.

Rohit Sharma is all set to play for the Indian team in the three-match ODI series against Australia, starting October 19.