NEW DELHI: The most heated topic over the last three days has been the removal of Rohit Sharma as the ODI captain and the appointment of Shubman Gill as the next 50-over captain for the Indian cricket team. There is a huge debate regarding his ousting, and that makes sense because the last time he captained, a few months back, India won an ICC trophy. This leads to a question trending all over the internet: Is Rohit's axing justified?

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Looking at the numbers and past records, one can hardly argue that Rohit has put a foot wrong while captaining the Indian team. As a captain, he boasts an enviable winning percentage of 75%. Out of the 56 matches he has captained, India won 42 while losing only 12. Adding the Champions Trophy win to that, the record looks even more formidable.

However, logical analysis suggests otherwise. The biggest reason for his omission as leader was his age. He is already 38 and has retired from the other formats. By the time the next big assignment, the ICC World Cup, arrives, he will be 40. At that age, it is difficult for players to sustain their form and fitness.

This is not a dig at Rohit, but at that age, however great they might be, players often struggle with it. He definitely showed great form during the Champions Trophy and helped India win the final with his superlative batting effort, but for the World Cup, there are still two more years.

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A champion side like India, who are the team to beat right now, would never want to enter a tournament like the World Cup with a captain who has form or fitness concerns. For any world-class side, the captain should lead from the front, as Rohit did all these years. He paved the way for a new brand of cricket in India, especially in white-ball cricket.

Rohit himself showed the world how a modern-day opener should bat in limited-overs games. He was largely successful in three major ICC events, two of which were eventually won by the Indian cricket team. But now, it would have been a risky affair to send him as the leader of the pack at that age.

The Hitman, as he is fondly called by the fans, still has a lot to offer. With his sharp on-field tactics, he can help the newly inducted skipper Gill on the field. He will always be a part of the leadership group, which will require experience.

Now the time is ripe for Rohit to completely focus on his batting. He still has plenty to offer to the Indian team, and if his form and fitness permit, he will definitely help India achieve what he considers to be his dream-the dream of winning a 50-over World Cup.