'He himself will take the call' - Former India cricketer makes huge claim on Rohit Sharma's captaincy future during BGT 2024-25 3rd Test

Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has remarked that Rohit Sharma might step down from captaincy of his own accord if he fails to be among the runs in the remainder of the Border-Gavaskar series as well. The Indian skipper is struggling for form, recording single-digit figures in Adelaide, and a scrappy 10-run knock in Brisbane.

Questions have also been raised about Rohit Sharma's captaincy. He was lambasted for his defensive tactics in the home whitewash against New Zealand, and similar criticism arose after Team India's 10-wicket loss in the pink-ball Test. While his losing streak might come to an end in Brisbane, with rain forcing the result towards a draw, the scrutiny on his captaincy is unlikely to end.

Jasprit Bumrah had led India to a historic win in Perth in the Border-Gavaskar series opener in Rohit Sharma's absence. There were calls among fans and pundits for the pacer to lead the side for the remaining four Tests as well.

Gavaskar feels that the upcoming two Tests may well prove to be make-or-break for Rohit Sharma.

"I think Rohit obviously will get the opportunity to play in the next couple of matches, that’s for sure. But maybe at the end of it, if he hasn’t scored runs, my feeling is that he himself will take the call,” Sunil Gavaskar said on ABC Sport on Tuesday (via Indian Express).

Another potential series win in Australia, and a third successive appearance in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, is what is on the other side for Rohit Sharma - the captain, currently from a legacy standpoint.

"He will not want to be a burden on the team" - Sunil Gavaskar on Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma demoted himself down the order amid KL Rahul's brilliance against the new ball. However, the skipper has not fared well in the middle-order, with his limited footwork, and playing inside the line troubling him to a great extent on the tour so far.

“He’s a very conscientious cricketer, he will not want to be a burden on the team. He’s a cricketer who cares very deeply for Indian cricket. So if he doesn’t score runs in the next couple of games, I think he himself will step down," Gavaskar added (as per the aforementioned source).

Rohit Sharma has the chance to turn things around, with the scoreline likely to be 1-1 ahead of the business end of the series. With better batting surfaces in Melbourne and Sydney, compared to Brisbane, Perth, and against the pink-ball in Adelaide, there is room for The Hitman to make amends.