"Those two guys will help him along the way" - Former West Indies pacer backs Shubman Gill to thrive as ODI captain ahead of AUS vs IND 2025 series

Former West Indian cricketer Ian Bishop said he expects Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to firmly stand behind Shubman Gill, as the 26-year-old is all set to start his ODI captaincy tenure. Bishop added that Gill has the temperament to lead well but reckons it will take him time to hit the straps as captain.

Gill, who succeeded Rohit as Test captain ahead of the England tour this year, has now replaced the star opener as the ODI skipper, as the three-game series in Australia looms large. Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar had underlined that they decided to give the leadership responsibilities to the youngster, keeping in mind the 2027 World Cup.

In a conversation with PTI, Bishop said fans must be persistent with the young star and that he expects Gill to be successful.

"He’ll be fine. Those two guys will help him along the way. He will grow in the job. He’s nowhere near the finished article. People have to give him that chance to grow as a captain, and as a batsman, he will grow as well. He has the temperament and the skill to lead, but the growth in captaincy and tactics is something that will take a couple of seasons to grow into. I’m sure he’ll get help from the two veterans."

The Punjab-born cricketer will have some huge shoes to fill due to Rohit's record as captain. The star cricketer captained India in 56 matches, winning 42 out of them, including the Champions Trophy earlier this year.

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Shubman Gill wins his first Test series as captain

Shubman Gill after the Test series against the West Indies. (Credits: BCCI X)

Meanwhile, Shubman Gill enjoyed his first series as Test captain as Team India swept the series 2-0 against a gutsy West Indies on Day 5 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. The right-handed batter, who made an unbeaten 129 in the first essay, threw away his wicket for 13 while trying to finish the match quickly in the second innings.

But it hardly mattered as the hosts chased down 121 with seven wickets to spare. The ODI series against Australia begins on October 19 in Perth.