Rohit Sharma should continue as India captain, says World Cup-winning coach Dav Whatmore

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Rohit Sharma is all set to return to action for the first time since the ICC World Cup 2023 as the India vs South Africa Test series gets underway in Centurion on Boxing Day. The Indian ODI and Test skipper has kept mum on his future in the white-ball format as he opted for a break after the Ahmedabad debacle last month.

There were reports that BCCI top brass wanted him to lead the team in South Africa in the shorter formats with Hardik Pandya yet to recover from his injury. However, Suryakumar Yadav and KL Rahul leading the national teams in South Africa before Rohit takes charge suggests things didn't materialise.

This was followed by the news of T20 captain Hardik Pandya being named as the new Mumbai Indians captain ahead of the IPL 2024 auction sent a shockwave among Indian cricket fans.

This has made many wonder if Rohit Sharma is too keen on continuing in the leadership role while the five-time IPL-winning captain agreed to play under Pandya.

MyKhel had a short conversation with decorated international coach Dav Whatmore and his thoughts on Rohit Sharma as the leader of the national team. The 69-year-old Australian, who won the ODI World Cup in 1996 with Sri Lanka as the coach and also managed teams like Pakistan and Bangladesh, said he was impressed with Rohit in a leadership role and expects him to continue.

"Rohit Sharma did a very good job as a captain. His abilities as a batsman were compromised due to his leadership quality and I expect him to continue. He did a really good job in the World irrespective of whatever went down in the final," said Whatmore during his visit to Bhubaneswar for the EKamra Sports Literature Festival on Saturday (December 16).

Apart from the first Test in Centurion, Rohit will lead India in the second Test in Capetown from January 7 followed by five-match Test series against England at home from January 25.