The entire cricketing world was shocked when Rohit Sharma dropped himself due to his poor form. Cricket has seen its fair share of surprising decisions, and one of the most intriguing is when a captain decides to drop themselves from the playing XI. Here are 5 Times Captains Dropped Themselves in Cricket:
1. Rohit Sharma (India)
In January 2025, India’s Test captain Rohit Sharma opted to pull himself out of the playing XI for the fifth and final Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Sharma’s decision came after a string of disappointing performances, where he scored only 31 runs in five innings. This move made way for Shubman Gill to take his place.
2. Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan)
During Pakistan’s tour of Australia in 2014, Misbah-ul-Haq faced heavy criticism for his underwhelming performances, scoring just 0 and 15 in the first two ODIs. As a result, he chose to drop himself from the XI for the third and final ODI. Shahid Afridi took over as captain, but Pakistan still succumbed to defeat against Australia in that match.
3. Dinesh Chandimal (Sri Lanka)
In the 2014 T20 World Cup, Sri Lankan captain Dinesh Chandimal made a bold decision to sit out the knockout matches to benefit the team. Lasith Malinga took over the captaincy and led Sri Lanka to a historic victory, defeating India in the final.
4. Mike Denness (England)
During the 1974-75 Ashes series in Australia, England captain Mike Denness dropped himself for the fourth Test after heavy defeats in the first two matches and a draw in the third. Tony Greig stepped in as captain for the fourth Test, but England still suffered a loss. Denness returned to lead the side in the fifth Test, where England finally secured a win.
5. MS Dhoni (India)
In a less dramatic but still significant instance, MS Dhoni, the former Indian captain, chose to drop himself from the playing XI during the 2014 ODI series against England. Dhoni’s decision was influenced by his form and the need to give younger players a chance. Virat Kohli took over the captaincy and led India to victory in that series.
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