Former Indian cricket team star Mohammad Kaif believes that Shubman Gill was pressurised into becoming the ODI captain. In a decision that divided opinions, Gill replaced Rohit Sharma as the skipper ahead of the upcoming ODI series against Australia. BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained that the team management were looking to give Gill enough time to settle down as captain in time for the 2027 ODI World Cup. As a result, Gill is currently the Test and ODI captain for the Indian cricket team while serving as the vice-captain of the T20I side. Kaif warned against ‘overburdening’ a young player like Gill and even hinted that selectors, including Agarkar, forced him to take the captaincy.
“This was on expected lines, but I felt this would happen after the 2027 World Cup. The guy has quality, and he’s also worked on his fitness. He had a realistic chance of playing the 2027 World Cup. However, the load falls on Gill. He’s getting all of it in a hurry. It could also lead to a loss. When you get so much in such a short time, it could backfire,” Kaif said in a video posted on YouTube.
“My point is that don’t overburden him. He captains in Tests, bats at No. 4. He was made the vice-captain in the Asia Cup – will take over when Suryakumar Yadav steps aside. Now you’ve made him the ODI captain. I feel everything is being done in a hurry. A player never asks for captaincy. Everyone knows that he didn’t want it. You can’t demand it, but everyone seems to like him a lot and considers him a captain for the future. The selectors, including Ajit Agarkar, have pressurised him.”
Rohit was included in the squad for the Australia ODIs but he will not have any leadership role in the side.