There are strong reports that Rohit Sharma will no longer continue as the captain of India’s ODI team. According to the Hindustan Times, the BCCI has decided to hand over the leadership to young opener Shubman Gill before the upcoming series against Australia. This move is said to be part of a bigger plan, as the selectors want to prepare a younger captain who can take charge till the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Shubman Gill, who is only 26, has already become India’s Test captain after Rohit retired from the format earlier this year. Now, giving him the ODI captaincy as well would provide consistency across formats. The selectors believe Gill should be given enough time to gain leadership experience and build his own team for the future.

Rohit Sharma has been one of India’s most successful white-ball captains. He led the team to the 2024 T20 World Cup win, the 2025 Champions Trophy victory, and also to the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, the BCCI seems to feel that this is the right time to bring in a younger leader. Even with this change, both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are expected to be part of the ODI squad against Australia.

Why Rohit Sharma was sacked from ODI captaincy

The major reason is the long-term vision for the 2027 ODI World Cup. The selectors want a younger captain who can lead India throughout the next cycle, and Gill is seen as the perfect option. The second reason is consistency in leadership across formats. Since Gill is already the Test captain, making him ODI captain will give the team more stability.

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Another reason is Rohit Sharma’s age and workload. At 38, his fitness and form for a long four-year cycle remain a concern. The selectors want him to focus more on his batting rather than carrying the pressure of captaincy. His poor performance in the most recent Test series in Australia, where he averaged only 6.20, has raised questions as well. Rohit has been a great leader for India, yet the selectors believe it is time for a seamless transition to Shubman Gill, who can take India into the future.

Former India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru player Dinesh Karthik has been appointed as the captain of Team India for the upcoming Hong Kong Sixes tournament. The announcement was made official by Hong Kong Cricket on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Known for his smart cricketing skills and 360-degree stroke play, Karthik brings a lot of experience in T20 cricket. He has also led Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL and played for RCB during the final years of his career.

Karthik has played in global T20 leagues since he retired from international cricket and the IPL. Most recently, he made his overseas debut with the Paarl Royals in the recent SA20 season. His previous leadership, batting experience, and ability to perform under pressure make him an ideal candidate for the captaincy of India in the fast-paced six-a-side format.

Cricket Hong Kong expressed confidence in Karthik’s appointment, saying on X, “We are proud to welcome Dinesh Karthik as the Captain of Team India for the Hong Kong Sixes 2025. With his vast international experience, sharp leadership skills, and explosive batting, Dinesh will bring both inspiration and intensity to the tournament. His appointment reflects the spirit of the Sixes fearless, entertaining, and world-class.”

Karthik’s Career and T20 Record

Dinesh Karthik has had a career that has gone nearly 20 years. He had played 412 T20 matches, scoring 7,537 runs at an average of 27.01 and a strike rate of 136.66. He has played for six teams in IPL: MI, RCB, KKR, Gujarat Lions, DC and PBKS. He scored 4,842 runs in 234 innings from 2008 to 2024.

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Karthik played for the Paarl Royals in the SA20 league, scoring 130 runs in eight innings, with a total of fifty runs. He has not had much recent exposure to international cricket, although with his T20 experience, leadership qualities, and composure under pressure, he would be an ideal candidate to lead Team India at the Hong Kong Sixes 2025. Fans can't wait to see Karthik lead the side while at the same time show his batting skills at this exciting six-a-side tournament.

After the end of the thrilling England vs India five-match Test series, Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, which ended in a 2-2 draw under the new Test leadership of Shubman Gill, the focus of Indian cricket is slowly shifting towards the Asia Cup 2025, which will run in September. While the tournament is a month away from beginning, there is some big news on the Indian captaincy for the competition. 

Asia Cup 2025: India will face Pakistan in group stage

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will host the Asia Cup 2025, which will be the 17th Asia Cup and the third T20 Asia Cup tournament. This is the first time that eight teams will participate in the Asia Cup, which will run between September 9 and 28, 2025. Apart from the ICC Full Members or Test-playing nations, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, the other three qualified teams for the upcoming T20 Asia Cup will be UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong. 

India and Pakistan will face each other in Group A of the Asia Cup 2025 along with Oman and the UAE. While India can face Pakistan three times in the tournament, if both teams reach the Final, they can also face Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan at least in the Super 4.

So, there is no doubt about the competition in the forthcoming T20 Asia Cup, where the non-Test playing members also have something to prove on the field. The Men in Blues are expected to go with a strong T20I squad for the upcoming Asia Cup tournament, and the captaincy role is a significant topic for them.

See Also: Afghanistan Announces T20 Preliminary Squad for Asia Cup and Tri-Nation Series

Suryakumar Yadav is recovering after surgery, started batting

Indian T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav had a sports hernia surgery in Munich, Germany, last June. Since then, there hasn't been much news about his fitness. Some recent reports claimed that he would be doubtful for the T20 Asia Cup, and the BCCI was looking for an alternative skipper for the forthcoming Asia Cup tournament. 

However, according to a recent ESPNcricinfo report, the Indian T20I captain already experienced his first batting session after surgery in late July at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The 34-year-old is currently under the observation of the BCCI medical team. While the Indian cricket team is expected to travel to the UAE in early September for the Asia Cup 2025, Suryakumar Yadav is expected to be fit to lead the national team in the tournament. 

In a recent interview, legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has opened up a conversation in the lead-up to the eagerly awaited upcoming India vs. England Test series regarding the appointment of Shubman Gill as India's captain. Gavaskar spoke about the high-pressure situation of leading the national team and possibly getting Gill to understand that being captain brings different pressures in terms of being not only a teammate but also the captain. He mentioned that in the previous roles, a player may have been able to converse with a few teammates at a time, but as captain, you have to command respect from others, which means that your behavior is more important than an individual's results. 

Gavaskar's comments really encapsulate the difficulties Gill has as a somewhat inexperienced leader. Gavaskar did acknowledge the fact Gill may not have much experience in captaincy but also called the decision to pick the Indian team a brave decision by the selectors. "It is a great team, and it has been selected while keeping in mind that this is the beginning of a new World Test Championship cycle, so you would want these players to play for the next two or more years. This is also a bold move because Shubman Gill doesn't have much experience as captain, but there are many other experienced players in the side like Jasprit Bumrah, Karun Nair, and Rishabh Pant, so it indeed is a very well-selected team." He added

Gavaskar's comments and his willingness to discuss captaincy to maintain the culture within the team bring with them a sense of optimism in how the team is structured. The selection committee decided to screen players with an eye towards the future, with the Test series against England being a key fixture in the World Test Championship, so they have picked the players they feel will be able to contribute over the coming years. Gavaskar taking responsibility for the selections reflects his faith in Gill to develop into the captaincy role if he reacts well to the pressures involved in captaincy.

A Bold Leadership Choice

The selectors must be feeling extremely bold picking Gill as captain considering he has little international leadership experience. Gavaskar feels that the returning experience of Bumrah, Nair, and Pant will help Gill take the captaincy in his stride. Those three players played in England as part of a larger group and could be at least consulted when Gill has to make decisions in the middle of a high-pressure Test week against a very good England side.

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The India vs. England series will test Gill's effectiveness as captain and the performance of the team. It's an exciting time for him and the team as this World Test Championship cycle is just beginning, and the selection committee’s belief in Gill as a youthful captain with a strong supporting-player core signals a long-term commitment to Indian cricket. Gavaskar’s remarks highlight the importance of Gill’s ability to lead by example, fostering respect and unity within the team to kick off the championship cycle on a strong note.