Rohit Sharma had intended to bow out of Test cricket during the upcoming England series in a fashion reminiscent of MS Dhoni's surprise mid-series retirement in 2014. According to a Sky Sports report, Rohit wanted to travel with the team and step away during the tour, but this request was turned down by the BCCI. Mid-Series Exit Denied, Captaincy Offer Rejected The selectors reportedly preferred a more stable setup for the England series and instead offered Rohit a spot in the squad without the captaincy role. "Selectors wanted consistency during the series and offered Sharma the opportunity to go to the series, but not as captain. He decided to retire instead," the report stated. Rohit’s sudden retirement caught many off guard, and Virat Kohli’s own decision to step away from Tests shortly after only intensified the impact. With two modern-day giants of Indian cricket stepping down in quick succession, the BCCI now faces a significant leadership vacuum. Search Begins for New Leadership Core According to the report, the BCCI selection panel has held informal discussions with both Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant regarding the Test captaincy. The final squad for the England series is likely to be announced around May 23. While media speculation continues around names like Jasprit Bumrah and Gill leading the race, no official confirmation has been provided yet. "One selector at the BCCI has reservations over giving Gill the captaincy, given that his place on the side is not guaranteed, and suggested he would be better suited to the vice-captaincy role," the report added. IPL Experience Grooming Future Leaders Veteran Sunil Gavaskar believes the intense environment of the IPL is helping shape the next generation of Indian leaders. He noted that the tournament serves as the ideal testing ground for players like Shubman Gill. Gujarat Titans captain Gill is expected to take over as Test skipper, with Rishabh Pant likely to be named vice-captain. Gavaskar, however, cautioned that it would take time for any of the young hopefuls to reach the leadership heights of Dhoni, Rohit, or Kohli. "It would take a couple of years (to groom future leaders) to get to the level of our super captains (MS Dhoni, Rohit, Virat). All of them brought a different approach to captaincy," Gavaskar said in response to a query on Star Sports Press Room. Pant, currently leading Lucknow Super Giants, and Iyer, the skipper for Punjab Kings this season, are also seen as strong contenders. "When you see Gill, Iyer and Pant, three main pretenders to Indian captaincy you see an amalgamation of all three (Dhoni, Rohit, Virat). Gill probably is more competitive, when there is a decision, he is asking the umpire right away. He is probably a lot more involved. Though Pant is behind the stumps, he is also very involved. Iyer too has been superb. All three have brought a lot of positivity in the way they have been captaining. As a captain, nothing gets you more experience than pressure of a T20 game. It is the best training ground for captaincy," Gavaskar added. ALSO READ: ‘Very Impressive’, RR Coach Applauds Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s Maturity In High-Pressure Chase