Rohit Sharma loses ODI captaincy to Shubman Gill as Team India enters new era

Ahmedabad: The winds of change have swept through Indian cricket once again. The ODI baton, held by Rohit Sharma from December 2021, has been passed onto the young Shubman Gill. With the BCCI and selectors aligning their long-term vision around the 26-year-old, the Punjabi is officially the face of India's next generation, entrusted with leading the ODI side into a new era.

Truth be told, Gill's elevation was inevitable. Having already captained the Test side against England earlier this summer and served as Suryakumar Yadav's deputy in T20Is during the Asia Cup, the final step arrived rather swiftly. Rohit, now 38 and nearing the end of his glittering career, has made way for the next in line. Virat Kohli remains in the mix for now, but the signs are unmistakable - Indian cricket's next generation is taking over.

Gill's first assignment as ODI skipper is the three-match series against Australia starting October 19 in Perth.

The change extends beyond leadership. Ravindra Jadeja's omission signals another quiet but significant transition, with Washington Sundar and Axar Patel emerging as the preferred spin all-rounders. These tough calls make it clear: the selectors' focus is firmly on building for the future, even as India eye the immediate goal of defending the T20 World Cup at home next year.

"It's practically impossible to have three captains across formats," said chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar. "At some stage, you have got to start planning for where the next World Cup is. ODI cricket is played less now, so giving the next guy enough time to settle in becomes crucial."

Agarkar conceded the decision to move on from Rohit wasn't easy, especially after the veteran led India to the Champions Trophy earlier this year and the 2023 World Cup final. "Even if we hadn't won the Champions Trophy, it would've been tough," Agarkar noted. "But you've got to look at the bigger picture. Where the team stands, what's coming next and what's best for Indian cricket."

Questions about the futures of Rohit and Kohli were deftly sidestepped, though Agarkar hinted at expectations. "Whenever the senior guys are available, they should be playing domestic cricket," he said. "Particularly the guys (who are not playing international cricket). That's the only way to stay sharp."

Rohit Sharma 

Ravindra Jadeja

The squads ODIs: Shubman Gill (captain) Rohit Sharma Virat Kohli Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain) Axar Patel K L Rahul (wk) Nitish Kumar Reddy Washington Sundar Kuldeep Yadav Harshit Rana Mohammed Siraj Arshdeep Singh Prasidh Krishna Dhruv Jurel (wk) Yashasvi Jaiswal. T20Is: Suryakumar Yadav (capt) Abhishek Sharma Shubman Gill (vice-captain) Tilak Varma Nitish Kumar Reddy Shivam Dube Axar Patel Jitesh Sharma (wk) Varun Chakravarthy Jasprit Bumrah Arshdeep Singh Kuldeep Yadav Harshit Rana Sanju Samson (wk) Rinku Singh Washington Sundar.