After Rohit Sharma's Retirement: Who Will Be India's Next Test Captain and Opener?

Rohit Sharma has officially announced his retirement from Test cricket ahead of India's tour of England, starting June 20. The series will mark the beginning of India's campaign in the 2025–27 World Test Championship cycle.

With Rohit's exit, questions are being raised about who will take over as India's next Test captain and who will fill the vacant opening spot in the playing XI.

Who Could Be the Next Test Captain?

There are two strong contenders in the race for the Test captaincy. While the BCCI has not yet made an official announcement, sources suggest that KL Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah are the frontrunners.

KL Rahul has experience leading the side in the past and has proven his leadership skills in limited-overs formats as well. On the other hand, Jasprit Bumrah impressed many with his captaincy during the Test series against England in 2022 when Rohit was injured.

Who Will Open with Yashasvi Jaiswal?

Rohit Sharma's absence also creates a vacancy at the top of the order. While Yashasvi Jaiswal is expected to retain his spot, the team management will need to decide who will partner him.

Earlier, KL Rahul opened alongside Jaiswal, but during the Australia tour, Rohit had demoted himself in the batting order to number 6 or 7. The selectors now have a few options, including promoting Rahul back to opener or bringing in a specialist opener like Abhimanyu Easwaran or Ruturaj Gaikwad.

All eyes will now be on the BCCI's official squad announcement for the England Test series.