Shubman Gill has described his appointment as India’s ODI captain as the “biggest honour,” expressing pride in continuing the legacy of Rohit Sharma, who will now play under him during the upcoming series in Australia.
“It’s the biggest honour to be able to lead your country in the one-day and to be able to lead a side, you know that has done so well, it’s immense pride for me, and I hope I’ll be able to do great,” Gill told bcci.tv after the announcement on Saturday.
The selectors’ move to replace Rohit with Gill signals a generational transition ahead of the 2027 World Cup in South Africa. The decision also underscores Gill’s growing stature as an all-format leader, already captaining India in Tests and serving as T20I vice-captain.
Gill’s rise coincides with his recent home series successes. Just before being named ODI captain, he led India to an innings-and-140-run victory over the West Indies in Ahmedabad, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead in a two-Test series.
Ahmedabad holds personal significance for Gill, who first captained the Gujarat Titans in the IPL at this venue. “It’s difficult to put in words. This state is very special for me. From captaining my IPL team, then getting to know that I’ll be Test captain, I was here and then my first Test at home, leading the side in Ahmedabad, this venue has always been very special for me,” he said.
Also read: Gill to replace Sharma as India ODI captain, Kohli recalled
Looking ahead, Gill outlined his focus on preparation for the 2027 World Cup. “I think we have about 20 ODIs before we play the World Cup and obviously the ultimate goal is the World Cup in South Africa, so everything that we play, and all the players that we play they are going to try their best, and we’re going to try our best to be able to have a great season before we get to the World Cup. Hopefully, we will be fully ready when we go to South Africa and win that World Cup,” he added.
Rohit’s tenure as ODI captain saw India register a 10-match winning streak at the 2023 World Cup on home soil, though the side fell short in the final against Australia. Since then, India has lost only once in 12 ODIs and lifted the Champions Trophy earlier this year.
Gill’s individual records have reinforced his appointment. In his debut Test series as captain against England, he scored 754 runs in five Tests, surpassing Graham Gooch’s 752-run tally from 1990 and breaking Sunil Gavaskar’s 732-run record against the West Indies in 1978-79. He also became the first Asian batter to score more than 700 runs in a SENA country series, eclipsing Virat Kohli’s 692 from the 2014-15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. His tally puts him close to Sir Donald Bradman’s 810-run record for a captain in a single series.
Gill’s elevation as ODI captain signals a blend of youth and experience, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli continuing as key performers while India begins a new leadership chapter ahead of 2027.
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