It’s the dawn of a new era in Indian cricket, but one that still carries the calm of the old. When Shubman Gill walked into the press room on Thursday after his first interaction after being named India’s new ODI captain, there wasn’t the air of a youngster overwhelmed by responsibility. Well, how would that be? After all, he is already India’s Test captain.
Instead, there was quiet confidence, the same kind of serenity he said he wants to borrow from his predecessor, Rohit Sharma. The baton has officially passed, with BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar choosing Gill over Rohit despite the Hitman leading Team India to an ICC Champions Trophy 2025 win the last time he played for India.
“I want to imbibe Rohit bhai’s calmness”
At 26, Shubman Gill has become one of India’s youngest full-time ODI captain. The selectors’ decision to hand him the reins wasn’t a surprise as he’s already leading India in Tests and was seen as the natural successor in limited-overs cricket. But in his first address since the announcement, Gill showed that while the captaincy is new, his perspective is mature.
“The calmness of Rohit bhai and the friendships that he created among the group, I want to imbibe that,” Gill said ahead of the second Test against West Indies in New Delhi. His words showed a deep respect for Rohit Sharma, under whom he has grown as a cricketer. The young skipper admitted he wants to carry forward that dressing-room culture of trust and camaraderie, something that defined India’s success under Rohit in recent years.
Gill also moved quickly to silence the speculation about Rohit and Virat Kohli’s future in ODIs. Both senior pros have stepped away from T20Is and Tests, leading to chatter about their long-term plans. “The two have won so many games for India. Very few have so much skill and experience. We need them,” Gill said firmly, confirming their presence for the upcoming Australia tour starting October 19.
Gill has huge boots to fill
What makes this transition bittersweet is the weight of Rohit Sharma’s achievements. From December 2021 to March 2025, India experienced its most successful period of ODI cricket in the modern era. He became the only captain in history to lead a team in all ICC finals across formats: the World Test Championship and ODI World Cup in 2023, the T20 World Cup in 2024, and the Champions Trophy in 2025.
India’s 2023 World Cup campaign under him was a juggernaut, where India had ten straight wins, dazzling batting displays, outstanding bowling before the heartbreak of losing the final to Australia. Even there, India were in a game early on before Travis Head turned the tables single-handedly. That loss might have defined another captain’s legacy, but Rohit and his team refused to let it. Two years later, India went unbeaten through the Champions Trophy and finally lifted the silverware that had eluded them for over a decade. India went unbeaten at T20 World Cup 2024 and also at the Champions Trophy.
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