The former England pacer suggested that Ajit Agarkar could face a turbulent end to his tenure amid a power tussle between Kohli and Rohit.
Ajit Agarkar Faces Scrutiny Amid Captaincy Change and World Cup Uncertainty
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar has come under scrutiny following the decision to replace Rohit Sharma with Shubman Gill as India’s ODI captain. The Indian team is in a transitional phase, with Ajit Agarkar remaining non-committal about Rohit and Virat Kohli’s selection for the 2027 World Cup in South Africa during the squad announcement for the Australia tour. Both stalwarts have retired from Tests and T20Is, leaving ODIs as the only format they are available for. While they have expressed interest in playing the 2027 World Cup, plans now appear uncertain, with selectors expected to consider domestic tournaments like the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Former England pacer Steve Harmison weighed in on the growing tension in Indian cricket, suggesting Agarkar could face a turbulent end to his tenure amid the power dynamics involving former captains Kohli and Rohit.
“Unfortunately I think there might be a messy end for Ajit Agarkar there. If anybody is going to win here I think it is the former captains rather than the former all-rounder. But it all depends on, if Agarkar is saying this, just to fuel the fire of Kohli and Sharma, then fair enough. You put your cards on the table and see what comes,” Harmison said on talkSPORT Cricket.
During the Champions Trophy, Kohli was in sublime touch, scoring a century against Pakistan and performing strongly in the semi-final versus Australia. Rohit, after a quiet start, regained form in the final with a match-winning knock against New Zealand, helping India secure their second ICC title in under a year.
“Rohit not been as influential in 50-over cricket as Virat has”
Former England pacer Steve Harmison hinted at possible tension within Indian cricket, noting Virat Kohli’s greater influence and legacy in ODI cricket compared to Rohit Sharma. He warned that sidelining Kohli could backfire, particularly during high-pressure chases, potentially leading to a messy fallout within the team setup.
“I think Kohli has got a little bit of skin in the game. Runs in the bank, his reputation. Sharma, not as much. Sharma’s a little bit older. He’s not been as influential in 50-over cricket as Virat has. If Virat turns around and says, ‘All right, you go to the 50-over World Cup without me and leading up to it, let’s see when you’re chasing 350 in 50 overs to win against Australia or England, and you haven’t got that bloke who averages 90 winning games at number four, see where your team’s at.’ There could be a messy end in that way. There could also be words that have been misunderstood in translation,” Harmison added.
