New era: Gill to captain India’s ODI squad

A new era begins for Indian ODI cricket as Shubman Gill takes over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma, reflecting the selectors’ vision of long-term leadership ahead of the 2027 World Cup. The move marks a significant transition in India’s white-ball setup while retaining experience in the squad.

Rohit Sharma, who led India to three ICC white-ball finals including victories in the T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy will continue to play for the team. As ODI captain, Rohit won 42 out of 56 matches, maintaining an impressive winning percentage of 76, making him one of India’s most successful leaders alongside MS Dhoni.

The selection panel’s decision underscores Gill’s growing role as a future all-format leader. Shreyas Iyer has been named vice-captain for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, scheduled in Sydney, Adelaide, and Melbourne from October 19 to 25, which will be followed by a five-match T20 series.

Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the ODI leg to manage workload, while left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal returns to the 50-over squad after consistent performances in T20 internationals.

Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar confirmed that Rohit has been informed of the decision. “It has been communicated to him. As far as the 2027 World Cup is concerned, we will address that later. The focus now is on giving the next captain enough time to settle into the role,” he said.

Agarkar explained that with limited ODIs, having three different captains for three formats is impractical. “You need to plan ahead. The 2027 World Cup is a big part of this plan, and Gill needs time to lead and prepare,” he added.

On whether the Champions Trophy win influenced the timing, Agarkar noted: “Even without it, the decision would have been tough. But sometimes you have to think about the team’s future and make calls in its best interest.”

The Indian ODI squad for the Australia tour: Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), Axar Patel, KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal.