Shubman Gill reflects on assuming ODI captaincy from Rohit Sharma
Stepping into Rohit Sharma’s shoes, Gill praised his predecessor’s leadership and aims to cultivate a similar sense of unity and team spirit in the dressing room during his ODI captaincy.
India’s newly-appointed ODI captain Shubman Gill has reaffirmed that senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli continue to play a crucial role in the team’s roadmap for the 2027 World Cup.
Gill emphasized that the experience and game awareness both veterans bring to the side are invaluable, adding that their guidance will remain vital as India prepares for the next major ICC event.
Taking over the captaincy from Rohit, Gill acknowledged the leadership legacy left behind by his predecessor. He expressed his desire to build the same strong camaraderie within the dressing room that Rohit fostered during his four-year tenure as skipper, focusing on unity and trust among teammates.
Shubman Gill on Rohit and Kohli’s ODI Future Ahead of 2027 World Cup:
When asked whether Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli remain part of India’s 2027 World Cup plans, Shubman Gill responded openly. Meanwhile, during the squad announcement for the upcoming Australia tour, chief selector Ajit Agarkar chose not to give a definite answer, keeping the matter open-ended for now.
Shubman answered, “ Of course. The experience that they (Rohit and Kohli) both have and the number of matches that they have won for India. There are very few players who have won so many matches for India. There are very few players in the world who have the so much skill, quality and the experience that they have. So, in that sense, I'm very happy.”
Gill mentioned that he hopes to adopt the calm attitude and team unity that Rohit Sharma fostered during his leadership. He praised Rohit’s ability to create a relaxed yet focused environment, which helped strengthen the team’s bond on and off the field.
He further said, “ There are so many qualities that I want to inherit from Rohit Bhai. One is the calmness that he possesses and the kind of friendships that he has created among the group is something that I aspire.”
While Ajit Agarkar officially announced Shubman Gill’s appointment following India’s victory in the first Test against the West Indies in Ahmedabad, Gill revealed he had received the news of his promotion to ODI captain a few days earlier, allowing him time to prepare mentally for the new role.
He added, “ I'm very excited to lead my country in that format. And yes, the last few months have been very exciting for me. But I'm really looking forward to what the future has. I want to stay as much as possible in the present and don't really want to look back on what I've been able to achieve or what we as a team have been able to achieve. Just want to look forward and win everything that we have in the upcoming months.”
Shubman Gill on balancing workload:
Gill, who already leads the Test side and now takes charge in ODIs, is seen as a potential all-format captain for India. However, with this growing responsibility, managing both physical and mental fatigue remains a significant challenge for the young cricketer moving forward.
He said, “ Physically, most of the time I feel fine. I think more than physical, sometimes there is mental fatigue. Because when you are constantly playing, there are certain expectations that I have from myself. And to be able to keep up with my own expectations sometimes becomes a challenge.”
He further said, “ I want to play all the formats and want to succeed in all the formats for the country. And win ICC titles. So if I want to do that, then this (playing all three formats) is the challenge that I have to go through.”
Shubman Gill opens up on bond with Gambhir:
Gautam Gambhir’s arrival as India’s head coach has aligned perfectly with Shubman Gill’s rise as captain. Gill mentioned that both share a common vision — to identify a strong core group of 15-18 players and rotate them smartly to maintain balance, manage workload, and build long-term consistency across formats.
He said, “ Our relationship is really good. It's very simple actually. We always try to have conversations around how we can make the players feel more secure and what kind of combinations that we can play. We sort of want to look at 15 or 18 member squads where we are picking constantly players from that bunch and from that squad.”
One major point of discussion between Gill and Gambhir has been the importance of developing a strong pool of fast bowlers to ensure balance and depth in the team. He added, “ We have a pool of good fast bowlers. And we want to be able to keep recruiting them so that they get enough opportunities whenever we tour South Africa, Australia or New Zealand.”
India dominated the opening Test against the West Indies, winning by an innings and 140 runs. The two teams will now face off in the second Test, scheduled to begin on Friday, October 10, at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium.
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