As has been the talk in the Indian cricketing spectrum ever since Shubman Gill was named India’s T20I vice-captain, the opening batter is set to be named the team’s ODI captain. With concerns over Rohit Sharma‘s long-term future in one-day international cricket rising, the forthcoming limited-overs tour of Australia is likely to be seen as the Hitman’s last in the Indian shirt, especially as a captain, if not as a pure batter. With an eye on the 2027 ODI World Cup, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee is understandably keen to give the new ODI skipper time to groom and settle before the showpiece event.
As per a report in RevSportz, there’s no question about the appointment of Gill as India’s ODI skipper; it’s only a matter of time before the official announcement is made. It has already been reported that Rohit Sharma, the current skipper, wants to continue playing in the 50-over format and is keen to try winning the ODI World Cup in two years’ time one more time. But, the call isn’t entirely in his hands.
With India preparing for the tour of Australia next, only top performances from Rohit would enable the selectors to refrain from making the hard call about his future. However, with India’s ODI assignments limited until the 2027 World Cup, there are questions over Rohit and even Virat Kohli-who too has left T20Is and Tests-keeping themselves sharp enough to continue scoring runs the way they have in the past.
One Captain for All Formats?
Gill is already leading the Indian team in Tests and has replaced Axar Patel as India’s vice-captain in T20Is. It’s only a matter of time before Gill replaces Suryakumar Yadav as India’s T20I captain. The call could be made after the T20 World Cup 2026, especially considering Suryakumar is 34 years old at present.
The traditional “one captain for all formats” philosophy has worked well for Indian cricket in the past. The selectors also look keen to continue with the same setup.
By the time the 2027 ODI World Cup begins, Rohit will be 40 years old. Being active in only one format, it is going to be a tough task for him to maintain peak form and fitness.
A tricky situation awaits both Rohit and the BCCI in the coming weeks.