BCCI forcefully removes Two times ICC trophy winning captain Rohit Sharma from India's ODI captaincy
Shubman Gill has replaced Rohit Sharma as India’s new ODI captain.
Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar announced the squad on Saturday for the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, starting October 19 in Perth.
The decision was made with a long-term plan in mind - the team management wants the 26-year-old to lead India in the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
With this move, Gill now captains India in two formats - Tests and ODIs - and serves as the vice-captain in T20Is.
The selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, met on Saturday to finalize India’s squad for the upcoming Australia tour. Before confirming the change in captaincy, the selectors also discussed the decision with head coach Gautam Gambhir. Earlier this year, Shubman Gill had already taken charge as India’s Test captain following Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the format.
After retiring from Test cricket, Rohit Sharma had been training hard in Mumbai to stay in top form for the Australia tour. He was often spotted practicing alongside former Team India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, focusing on improving his fitness and batting rhythm.
Also Read: Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are set to return in international cricket
In recent days, new photos and videos of Rohit Sharma have gone viral, showing his remarkable transformation as he shed several kilos and looked fitter than ever ahead of the Australia tour. For the upcoming ODI series, Shreyas Iyer has been named Shubman Gill’s deputy. The Mumbai batter has earned the role after proving his impressive leadership skills in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been included in India’s squad for the Australia tour. The star duo will travel with the team for the three-match ODI series, marking their first international appearance since India’s victory over New Zealand in the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy final.
Rohit Sharma’s Captaincy: Achievements and Legacy
The decision to replace the 38-year-old Rohit Sharma marks a significant shift in Indian cricket’s leadership. Earlier this year, several reports suggested that Rohit and Virat Kohli might play their final international series for India during the Australia tour. A report by Dainik Jagran also mentioned that if both players wish to feature in the 2027 ODI World Cup, they would need to participate in the domestic Vijay Hazare Trophy to remain eligible.
Recently, both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli chose to skip the India A series against Australia A, which began on September 30 in Kanpur.
Under Rohit’s captaincy, India ended its long ICC title drought by winning the T20 World Cup last year. Following that memorable triumph, both Rohit and Virat announced their retirement from international T20Is.
Rohit Sharma then led India through an unbeaten run in the eight-team ICC Champions Trophy, with all matches played in Dubai. After guiding the team to victory, he made it clear that he was not retiring from ODIs, stating publicly, “I am not retiring from this format,” amid circulating retirement rumors.