IND vs AUS: Who Are The 3 Captains To Drop Themselves From Playing XI Apart From Rohit Sharma? - Check List

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India captain, Rohit Sharma made a surprising decision to step away from the playing XI for the Sydney Test against Australia in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Rohit's form with the bat had been a significant concern, as he had managed to score only 31 runs across three matches in the series, a far cry from his usual standards.

Acknowledging his struggles, Rohit chose to take a break, prioritizing the team's chances of victory over his own presence in the must-win match, making way for Jasprit Bumrah to lead the side.

This move came as a shock to fans, especially given the high stakes of the game. India needed to secure a win in Sydney to keep their hopes alive for qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final.

The 37-year-old is the first Indian captain to drop himself from the playing XI, but apart from him, there are three other skippers, who also did the same for the benefit of the team.

Here's a look at the list:-

1) Misbah-ul-Haq: Former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq dropped himself in the 3rd ODI during the ODI series against Australia in 2014. Shahid Afridi then took his place to lead the side.

2) Dinesh Chandimal: Sri Lanka's Dinesh Chandimal made a bold decision during the 2014 T20 World Cup, where he dropped himself from the semi-final and the final giving the responsibility to Lasith Malinga. The Lankan Lions went onto clinch the title in that year.

3) Mike Denness: England's Mike Denness, owing to poor performance dropped himself during the 1974 Ashes series, paving way for Tony Greig to take over the duties.

Rohit Sharma's future in ODI cricket appears to hinge on India's performance in the upcoming ICC event, where he is set to lead the team. Having already retired from T20I cricket following India's title win in the 2024 T20 World Cup, and with his Test career seemingly coming to an end after stepping aside during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Rohit's career focus is now firmly on the 50-over format.