The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly instructed the national men's selection committee to refrain from interacting with the media as speculation intensifies over veteran opener Rohit Sharma's ODI future.
Discussion over Rohit's place in the team gathered pace after India's defeat to England in the second ODI at Cardiff, with several reports claiming that the series finale at Lord's could mark his final appearance in the format. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, however, dismissed those reports, maintaining that Rohit will remain in the side for as long as he continues to feature in the team's plans.
According to a Cricbuzz report, the BCCI is unhappy about information concerning Rohit's future being leaked into the public domain and has advised selectors to avoid any form of communication with media personnel.
The report further stated that the situation remains fluid amid widespread speculation, making it impossible to officially confirm developments taking place behind the scenes.
The uncertainty has fueled debate over whether Rohit can achieve his ambition of playing in the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
The veteran batter's recent performances have done little to strengthen his case. Across eight innings, Rohit has scored 241 runs at an average of 30.12 with a strike rate of 88.60, numbers that have reportedly failed to convince some selectors, who are no longer keen to continue with the former captain.
Sources had earlier told NDTV that certain members of the selection committee informed Rohit before the Afghanistan series last month that they no longer considered him part of their long-term plans.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir was also aware of the discussions between the selectors and Rohit.
Despite those conversations, Rohit retained his place for both the Afghanistan series and the ongoing England series after the former India captain approached the BCCI's top leadership.
However, after registering scores of 11 and 26 in the opening two ODIs against England, the veteran opener was reportedly reminded of the selectors' position as he continues his bid to extend his international career.
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