6 instances where captains dropped themselves due to poor form

In rare instances in the past, a captain has chosen to drop themselves from the playing XI. Midday explores six notable examples of such occurrences

Embattled India captain Rohit Sharma has struggled to make an impact in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia, failing to score more than 10 runs in any of his five innings, which has fuelled growing speculation that the veteran may be dropped for the decisive fifth Test starting Friday.

During the team’s practice session on Thursday, Rohit was seen participating in warm-up exercises, including a football drill. However, he was noticeably absent when the players gathered to practice slip-catching, fueling further speculation about his place in the XI. Key players like Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and KL Rahul were actively involved in the slip-catching drill, while Rohit was seen sitting in the dressing room. At that moment, no support staff were present.

Later, India’s top batsmen, including Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Rahul, and Dhruv Jurel, took to the nets for batting practice. Rohit, however, was not seen initially. After an hour, he arrived at the nets but did not bring his kit bag with him. Rohit was observed in conversation with video analysts Hari and Jasprit Bumrah for about 20-25 minutes before heading back to the dressing room. He later came out to bat, but his performance appeared lackluster.

India coach Gautam Gambhir declined to confirm whether Rohit would be included in the playing XI for the Sydney Test, although he expressed confidence that his team could win. "Everything is fine with Rohit, and I don’t think it’s anything traditional. The head coach is here, and that should be good enough." Gambhir reiterated that the final decision on the playing XI would be made after assessing the pitch the following day.

When asked again about Rohit’s inclusion, Gambhir simply replied, "The answer remains the same." Rohit had missed the first Test in Perth to attend the birth of his second child, with Bumrah captaining India to their only win of the series so far.

In rare instances in the past, a captain has chosen to drop themselves from the playing XI. Midday explores six notable examples of such occurrences:

Misbah-ul-Haq: During the 2014 ODI series between Pakistan and Australia, Misbah-ul-Haq faced a significant struggle with his form, scoring 0 and 15 in the first two ODIs. With Pakistan already suffering comprehensive defeats in the first two matches of the three-match series, Misbah took responsibility and, acknowledging his lack of form, decided to drop himself for the third ODI. Shahid Afridi was appointed captain, but despite the change, Pakistan still lost the match.

Dinesh Chandimal: During the 2014 T20 World Cup, Sri Lankan captain Dinesh Chandimal faced a major form slump. Prior to the semi-final and final, he took the bold decision to drop himself from the team to maintain its balance. Lasith Malinga replaced him as captain, and Sri Lanka went on to win the tournament, validating Chandimal's selfless decision to step aside.

Mike Denness: In the 1974 Ashes series, after Australia had comprehensively beaten England in the first two Tests and the third Test ended in a draw, captain Denness was in poor form. Conceding that his form could hinder the team, Denness opted to drop himself from the playing XI for the fourth Test. Tony Greig took over as captain, but England lost the match. Denness returned for the fifth Test, but Australia ultimately claimed the series 4-1.

Michael Clarke: After a string of disappointing performances in 2015, Michael Clarke considered stepping down as Australia’s captain and even hinted at taking a break from playing. While he did not officially drop himself from the playing XI, his form and leadership faced intense scrutiny, sparking conversations about his future role.

Brendon McCullum: Following a challenging series in 2016, Brendon McCullum contemplated his future as New Zealand's captain due to his struggles with the bat. Ultimately, McCullum chose to retire from international cricket, including stepping down from the captaincy, bringing an end to his leadership reign.

Alastair Cook: In 2016, Alastair Cook's form came under heavy scrutiny, and following a series of poor performances, he eventually stepped down as England's captain in early 2017. Though Cook did not drop himself from the team before resigning, the pressure surrounding his form played a key role in his decision to relinquish the captaincy.

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