Rohit Sharma should be India's white ball captain, says Gautam Ghambir

Rohit Sharma should be captaining India in white ball cricket at the expense of Virat Kohli. That is the verdict of former opener Gautam Gambhir.

Sharma has been left out of the India squad for both the ODI and T20 series against Australia later this year, but he is expected to be named among the test series party for the same tour Down Under.

But after his exploits in leading Mumbai Indians to a fifth Indian Premier League title on Tuesday, the decision to leave him out of the white ball squad has troubled some.

It is thought that Rohit will be named in the test squad and is a contender to deputise as captain for Kohli in the final three tests. 

Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane should take over, but sources have revealed that Sharma is under close consideration.

Virat is due to return from Australia to be with his wife, who in expecting the couples first child early in the New Year, and will miss the final three tests.

But former opener Gambhir thinks Sharma should be not only an automatic pick for the white ball squads, he should be captaining them too.

"Rohit has won five IPL titles, he is the most successful captain in the history of the tournament," Ghambir told ESPNcricinfo. "He can't do much more than this. If he doesn't become India's regular white-ball captain, it will be their loss.

"Rohit has shown in white-ball cricket how big the difference is between his and Virat's captaincy. One player had led his team to five titles, the other hasn't won yet."

Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore lost last week's play-off eliminator to Sunrisers Hyderabad, and he is yet win an IPL title.