"There will be a realization that you will not get everything always" - Aakash Chopra on Shubman Gill's challenges as skipper in AUS vs IND 2025 ODIs

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that Shubman Gill would find it easier in his ODI captaincy debut than he did when he led in Tests for the first time. However, he pointed out that the new Indian ODI skipper would realize that he might not have all his resources at his disposal every time.

India will face Australia in a three-match ODI series, with the first game scheduled to be played in Perth on Sunday, October 19. Shubman will lead the 15-member Indian squad after having taken over the captaincy reins from Rohit Sharma as part of the preparation for the 2027 World Cup.

During a discussion on the Star Sports show 'Game Plan,' Chopra was asked about Gill's tough first assignments as India's captain, an away Test series against England and an away ODI series against Australia.

"I feel this will be easy because you already have a set team. When the team is set, you don't have to do much. Whether it's he himself, his opening partner, No. 3, No. 4, or the one who is playing at No. 5, there is no problem whatsoever," the former India opener responded.

"The things he might miss here - it would have been even better had Jasprit Bumrah been there. If Hardik Pandya had been there in the middle, you would have felt a little more confident. However, you will have to find a few new things now. So there will be a realization that you will not get everything always," he added.

Jasprit Bumrah has been rested for the ODI series against Australia but has been picked for the subsequent five-match T20I series against the same opponents. Hardik Pandya has been ruled out of both legs of the white-ball tour due to the left quadricep injury he sustained in the Asia Cup 2025.

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"We saw a unique style of his there" - Sanjay Bangar on Shubman Gill as batter ahead of AUS vs IND 2025 ODIs

Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma will likely open for India in the ODI series against Australia. [P/C: Getty]

In the same discussion, former India all-rounder Sanjay Bangar was asked about Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma's opening partnership heading into the ODI series against Australia.

"The role Shubman Gill has adopted, because once it was decided that Rohit Sharma would play to increase the pace slightly in the first 10 overs, which he didn't use to do earlier, Gill is doing that job brilliantly. In the Asia Cup that happened in Sri Lanka two years ago, we saw a unique style of his there," he replied.

The former India batting coach added that Gill can manage the innings even if Rohit and Virat Kohli are dismissed early.

"If the batters at the other end were trying to score runs fast, he also learned to pace his innings brilliantly. If India lose two early wickets, if Rohit and Virat get out early, Shubman Gill has the range now to drive the innings forward," Bangar observed.

Shubman Gill has amassed 2,775 runs at an average of 59.04 in 55 ODIs. He scored a 39-ball 33 in India's 13-run win in the third ODI against Australia in Canberra in December 2020, the only 50-over international he has played on Australian soil.