The Hitman era is officially over and Shubman Gill, for the first time, will lead India in ODIs against Australia.
Yes, it hurt some. Yes, it shocked some. But when India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar announced Shubman Gill as the new ODI captain on October 4, the decision felt inevitable. In fact, the question around Gill’s captaincy has always been “when, not why.” But the fact that Rohit Sharma, India’s most successful ODI skipper of the last decade, has been moved aside still stings a bit.
This is not a slight on Rohit, who steered India into its most successful ODI phase in recent memory. It is, rather, an acknowledgement that cricket, like life, is always about looking ahead.
Replacing Virat Kohli in 2021 was never going to be easy. But with an immense IPL success on his back, Rohit brought in superb performance, both as captain and as a batter. In 56 ODIs as captain, India won 42. He led the side to the Asia Cup title in 2023, an unbeaten run into the World Cup final the same year, and finally delivered ICC silverware with the Champions Trophy in 2025. As a leader, Rohit did so many things:
But Rohit is now 38. By the time the 2027 World Cup in Africa arrives, he will be 40, playing only one international format sporadically, alongside two months of IPL. For a format like ODIs, which is already squeezed in the calendar, that isn’t enough cricket to stay sharp. And both Rohit and Virat Kohli, though still part of the squad, have slipped outside the long-term plans.
The Shubman Gill era has come quicker than many expected. Having already taken over the Test captaincy earlier this year and serving as vice-captain in white-ball formats, Gill was the natural heir. His brilliant tour of England, where he piled up 754 runs at an average of 75.40 and impressed with his leadership in a 2-2 Test draw. What was fascinating was how he won over the young dressing room in a tough environment, losing his first Test.
At 26, Gill is young enough to lead India not just into the 2027 World Cup but potentially across the next decade. His appointment brings stability at a time when India cannot afford to shuffle captains in three formats. As Ajit Agarkar bluntly put it: “It’s practically impossible to have three different captains for the three formats in terms of planning and consistency. At some stage, you also have to look ahead to the next World Cup.”
The ODI schedule is sparse as India last played an ODI in March and won’t play another until October 19. Which means Gill needs every available game to learn the ropes and build his own team. As Gill himself mentioned, he eyes the World Cup 2027 in South Africa and there are bluntly just 20 ODIs before the mega ICC event kicks in. If Rohit’s form declines massively soon, India will find itself in hot water. Hence, the decision to elevate Gill as the leader of the pack makes total sense. It insures and readies Gill for the next step.
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