“Wouldn’t have been an easy decision" – Former India captain reacts to Shubman Gill replacing Rohit Sharma as ODI skipper ahead of IND vs AUS series

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has lauded the selectors for their massive call to appoint Shubman Gill as the new captain in ODIs for the upcoming three-match series in Australia. The cricketer-turned-analyst pointed out that outgoing skipper Rohit Sharma wasn’t a certainty for the 2027 ODI World Cup, adding that these two years will help prepare Gill for the ICC tournament.

The 76-year-old further addressed that Gill’s heroics with the bat as skipper in England would’ve pushed the selectors to take a quicker call. He credited the 25-year-old for his ability to carry his form despite the burden of captaincy.

Speaking to India Today’s YouTube channel, Sunil Gavaskar said:

“2:25 – Wouldn’t have been an easy decision, but I think it’s looking forward to 2027. There’s no certainty, no guarantee that Rohit Sharma will be there for the 2027 World Cup. So, as much experience as Shubman Gill gets as a captain of the One Day team, that could be the thinking as far as the selection committee is concerned. Give him as much experience as possible as we go on to the 2027 World Cup in South Africa.”

He continued:

“3:06 – Oh, absolutely yes (Gill’s performance in England helping selectors make a quicker decision). Once you find the captaincy is not affecting the player’s individual performance, that’s a big load off as far as the selection committee is concerned, because look, we don’t want to lose a good player just because you’ve given him the responsibility of being a captain.”

“So, anybody who handles the captaincy with responsibility does very well as a captain as well as continues to do well individually, then it’s absolutely the best thing that can happen to any team, and I think that is where India is really fortunate to have Shubman Gill, a player who can play in all three formats. Do well in all three formats, and as we’ve seen in England and as we’re seeing currently here in Ahmedabad as well, that you know, when it comes to captaining, he’s not losing his own form, he’s very good,” Gavaskar added.

Notably, Shubman Gill amassed 754 runs in 10 innings with the help of a double century and three tons in the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England. His exploits with the bat helped India settle for a 2-2 draw in the five-match series. The right-handed batter scored a half-century in the last Test against the West Indies as India won by an innings and 140 runs.

Gill also holds a promising record in ODIs, amassing 2,775 runs in 55 matches at an average of 59.04, including eight tons and 15 half-centuries with the best score of 208.

“Have to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy” – Sunil Gavaskar wants senior India players to play more 50-over games heading into 2027 ODI World Cup

Sunil Gavaskar further urged Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to play more 50-over games to keep themselves fit for the 2027 ODI World Cup. While pointing out the lack of ODIs in the ongoing calendar year for the Men in Blue, the veteran added that the two senior batters have already retired from Tests and T20Is.. He said in the same video:

“4:17 – Well, it actually depends to a great extent on the number of One Day matches that India plays over the next couple of years because it’s not easy to be playing just eight ODIs in a season, preparing for as big as the World Cup. Because both of them have retired from the Tests as well as the T20, this is the only format that is left. And as we’ve seen over the years, the 50-over format has, as far as bilaterals are concerned, is becoming less and less [these days]. You play more of the T20s.”

“If you have eight white-ball matches, you probably have five T20s and three ODIs. So, that is not giving much in terms of exposure, practice for players who are nudging or coming towards 40. So, it’s not going to be easy at all for them because they need practice at the highest level. That means, they also have to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy in India, whenever it’s playing, if it doesn’t clash with any international ODI tournaments. Because that’s one way you’re going to keep in trim, keep at match practice,” he added.

Gavaskar bluntly added that both Rohit and Kohli have agreed to play the ODIs since it’s taking place in Australia and not Zimbabwe or the West Indies. He continued:

“So, it’s going to be a tough call, really a tough call, to know whether they’re going to be there in 2027. Maybe they might themselves decide that, you know, this is not working out, and maybe this might be the one place that they want to go. I am pretty certain that if this, at the moment, was a trip to Zimbabwe or the West Indies, both of them would not be available.”

“But because it is Australia, I think you know, and because India lost to Australia in the World Cup final, maybe that is the reason why both of them have decided that, ‘Yes, we are going to be available for the series,’” he concluded.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will next be seen in action in the first ODI against Australia in Perth on October 19. The last played an ODI during the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy final in March earlier this year.