After Ashwin and possibly Rohit Sharma, biggest transition in Indian cricket history is officially on

What next?

It is a question that is going to be repeated multiple times in the coming days and months as India begin 2025 with the biggest transition they have ever faced. It is a transition that has been expected for a long time. A transition those in the team management and the selection panel have been meticulously planning in the hope of avoiding tremors. But here they are, a full-blown transition taking place in the most unexpected manner.

First came the shock retirement of Ravichandran Ashwin in the middle of the Australia tour. And with just a week left to go, India will take the field at the Sydney Cricket Ground without their regular captain Rohit Sharma, after head coach Gautam Gambhir refused to confirm his place in the XI at the pre-match press conference.

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Transitions are not new. The upcoming one won’t be the last. But this one is perhaps the biggest and the most challenging one for India. “I’ve always felt that when a transition has happened in the past, there was one department who was carrying the team forward. But at the moment, if you see this transition, I think transition probably will happen in both the departments and it has already started,” Gambhir said.

It is this reality that is facing India right now and one they haven’t encountered before to draw lessons from. Between 2012-2014 when India went on a massive transition, the then selection panel under Sandeep Patil had ensured it happens in a phased manner. Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman exited in 2012, Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar in 2013 followed by Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh and Gambhir over the next three years. With the likes of Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ishant Sharma already part of the Test squad, Virat Kohli, Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Mohammed Shami and Rohit Sharma came in and seamlessly settled in without creating any chaos.

READ MORE: Rohit Sharma opts to ‘rest’ for Sydney Test, Jasprit Bumrah to lead India in BGT finale

In 2025, Ajit Agarkar and Co don’t have that luxury. After looking beyond Pujara and Rahane in 2023, they have been planning a smooth transition where the likes of Ashwin, Kohli, Jadeja and Rohit Sharma would be gradually moved on from. But now they are staring at a possibility where three of those four may not even be part of the touring party to England – which is India’s next destination for a Test series. Who do they turn to now is the lingering question.

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With Ashwin not around, Rohit Sharma unlikely to add another cap to his Test tally and Kohli’s future uncertain, India are virtually treading into the unknown. A few punts will be taken, young players could be thrown at the deep end, few names could be overlooked, but the challenge for Agarkar & Co looks more daunting than what Patil and his four colleagues faced between 2012-2016 as new faces have to be groomed in batting, pace and spin.

Incumbents

There are Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant to form the nucleus around which to build the batting group, but beyond that who they turn to is the question. Among the touring lot in Australia, the signals continue to be mixed about Sarfaraz Khan. Devdutt Padikkal’s flaws seem to outweigh his potential, and Abhimanyu Easwaran remains a perennial bench-warmer. A lot seems to be riding on the shoulders of Nitish Kumar Reddy.

Beyond them in the domestic circuit, the word going round is that the selectors haven’t been able to identify a long-term India prospect. In the ongoing domestic season, it is 33-year-old Karun Nair who has stood out among batsmen with the likes of Tilak Varma, B Sai Sudharsan, Rajat Patidar and Baba Indrajith being the batsmen that are lined up for the next level.

READ MORE: Notes from the nets: Rohit Sharma seen counselling Jasprit Bumrah, Gambhir-Bumrah have long chat, Gill gets a tap on the shoulder and Jurel lines up for extended session

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In Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, India have two spinners ready to step up. Beyond them, Tanush Kotian, R Sai Kishore and Manav Suthar are waiting in the wings, which means there is at least enough cover for the time being.

But the biggest concern remains in the fast bowling department, which is being carried single-handedly by permanent captain-in-waiting Jasprit Bumrah. With Mohammed Siraj struggling for consistency, the rest of the pack – which includes Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Mukesh Kumar and Harshit Rana – looks far from reliable.

EXPRESS EXCLUSIVE: Gautam Gambhir wanted Cheteshwar Pujara in India squad for Border Gavaskar Trophy, was turned down by selectors

Given the enormous challenge at stake, how India sails through this period could well determine how smooth the transition turns out to be. In a country where the cricket team’s fortunes are a national obsession, Gambhir will now face plenty of questions as teams in transition don’t often bring the desired results. It will be a long game, one which will test their resolve and sow seeds of doubt over their selection choices.

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The transition was inevitable as they were bound to face this phase at some point in the next two years. Despite their planning, it seems to have come when India is least prepared and one that requires the team management and selectors to be on the same page with their vision.

A chaotic ride is in store. Fasten your seatbelts.

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