The new era of Indian ODI cricket has started, with Shubman Gill being made the new skipper, replacing Rohit Sharma. The selectors have taken a balanced view here by keeping the expertise of veterans like Virat Kohli and Rohit to mentor and guide Gill to settle as a leader. The decision is indicative of a long-term plan, with the management clearly making a beeline for 2027 ODI World Cup peak time.
This shift, though, has left the fans of Kohli and Rohit wondering if they’ve already seen their idols play in their last World Cup. The ambiguity of their ODI future is increasingly a cause of concern for many.
Ex-England captain David Gower put forth his understanding of the transition in an installment of Cricket Predicta. He said, “I do not see Virat and Rohit playing in the 2027 World Cup… Pant, yes, despite being injury-prone. The team will rely on young leaders like Gill to shape the future. This is a perfect opportunity for him to set up and guide India to success.”
India seems to be building a side that can play well consistently after 2027, and the focal point of this team seems to be Gill. Although having veterans is always beneficial in terms of steadiness as well as experience, taking the step to start this transition so early indicates a go-ahead approach by the management.
In addition to Gill, vice-captaincy has also been assigned to Shreyas Iyer, highlighting the selectors’ faith in the emerging generation of leaders. The team is now being moulded with a role-specific methodology, looking to produce specialists in departments.
When it comes to personnel selection, Jasprit Bumrah has been rested during the Australia series due to workload management, while Ravindra Jadeja has been omitted for strategic considerations. Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav make up the spin attack, while Mohammed Siraj will lead the pace battery. Emerging pacers such as Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana are being tried out to enhance the bench for the 2027 World Cup.
Already captaining India in Test cricket, Gill referred to his elevation as ODI captain as “the greatest honour” of his career to date. The overall strategy seems aimed at establishing a robust leadership structure across formats, with Iyer’s elevation supporting the management in believing in the potential of the next generation.
