Matthew Hayden’s honest admission on captaining India: ‘Rohit Sharma becomes vulnerable only because of…’ | Cricket News

Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden has shared his views on Rohit Sharma’s removal as India’s ODI captain ahead of the upcoming three-match series against Australia.India’s recent change in leadership saw Shubman Gill replace Rohit Sharma as ODI captain after the first Test victory against the West Indies, where India won by an innings and 140 runs.

“Rohit being dropped from the captaincy was an interesting decision by far. After such a great win in the Champions Trophy, I guess the selectors are only looking at the numbers. At 38, with the World Cup a few years away, he becomes a bit vulnerable just because of his age,” Hayden told JioHotstar.“The talent and class is always on display, as is this magnificent body of work, not only in terms of his own performances, but also India’s success as a team. Very similar to the Virat and Dhoni, very successful.“But I guess it’s a bit of an insurance policy to bring in Shubman Gill, make sure he’s in charge in all formats, and most importantly help him learn leadership while Rohit Sharma is still in the dressing room. It would just be a bonus if Rohit qualifies for the next World Cup.”Rohit and Virat Kohli are expected to return to international cricket after their last appearance in the 2025 Champions Trophy victory.“Between Rohit and Virat, we are talking about almost 600 international matches, an abundance of experience and workload. I really think they will have a great opportunity to play on good tracks at the start of the Australian summer,” he said.“Everyone is very excited to see them down under, and I expect them to be at their best. Thirteen thousand runs for Virat, Rohit averaging almost 50 in one day’s cricket in 273 matches, it’s an exciting prospect.”Hayden stressed the importance of having a balanced team composition in ODI cricket.“In my opinion, success in ODI cricket depends on the right mix of youth and experience, and that is exactly what Team India have,” he added.“The youthful energy of someone like Jaiswal, along with the experience of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, is vital. The same goes for bowling; you need that young, athletic energy because 50 overs is a long time on the field. India have good balance at the moment, a mix of athleticism, passion and experience. And I’m sure some senior players will already have their eye on the 2027 World Cup.”The series opener is set to take place on Sunday at Optus Stadium in Perth.“One thing you can always say about Australian fans is that they love seeing the best athletes. They celebrated Virat Kohli as their own, and the same goes for Rohit Sharma. The crowds are going to be magnificent,” he continued.“Optus Stadium in Perth is an absolutely stunning venue, and with over a million Indians living and working here, there will be incredible support. They will celebrate Virat, they will celebrate Rohit, and even though many are Australian, they will want to see India win.”