Shamik Chakrabarty, Mumbai
Shubman Gill is set to be India’s next ODI captain and will assume the mantle from Rohit Sharma when the time comes, it is learnt. It could be as early as after India’s three-match ODI series in Australia in October, with Rohit’s international future appearing uncertain beyond that tour. Then again, given Rohit’s class and pedigree, jumping the gun could be fraught with risks. But whenever the passing of the baton happens, Gill is next in line and there’s no other contender at this moment in time.
RevSportz has repeatedly mentioned Gill as India’s next ODI skipper on its live shows. Gill,who turns 26 on September 8, is being looked at as India’s all-format captain going ahead. He is already helming the Test side, and started off with a creditable 2-2 draw in the five-match series in England. He has been brought back to the T20I fold as Suryakumar Yadav’s deputy for the Asia Cup, making him a natural successor when the change takes place in the shortest format. Surya will continue to lead the side until the T20 World Cup in February-March next year. After that, the selectors are likely to take a call. A next two-year T20I cycle will start after the ICC event, culminating with the 2028 LA Olympics where cricket is part of the roster.
As regards the 50-format, the transition is expected to begin in earnest after the Australia tour, with an eye on the 2027 ODI World Cup. By that time, Rohit would be 40 and might not be considered as a captaincy option even if he continues as a cricketer. There’s a school of thought that a new captain should be given the required bedding-in period before the showpiece event and accordingly, a change of guard might happen. Besides the powers that be, a lot of former cricketers, too, have thrown their weight behind Gill as India’s next ODI captain.
Traditionally, the one-captain theory has worked well in Indian cricket. The current split-captaincy thing is mainly down to the ongoing transitional phase. Once it’s complete, and a new era begins, Gill is expected to be in charge of all three formats.
Mumbai Indians moved on from their most successful captain last year as they did a reset. At MI, Rohit now plays under Hardik Pandya, although he remains a part of the leadership group. In the Indian team also, something similar (Gill, in this case) appears to be on the cards.
Retirement is a personal decision, and in the last ODI that India played — the Champions Trophy final against New Zealand earlier this year — Rohit was the Player of the Match, scoring a match-winning 76 off 83 balls. But it’s pretty evident that his glorious career is sauntering towards a golden sunset. India’s ODI side, a la the Test team, is set to feel the busy fingers of regeneration.
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