Team India opener Rohit Sharma has been forced to step down as ODE captain, in which Shubman Gill played a role before the upcoming Australia tour. According to reports, Rohit continued as a skipper, disrupting the team culture, which forced the selectors to hand over the leadership to Gill in the 50 -over format.
Gill, who became the Test captain of India earlier this year, will lead the ODI team against Australia starting in Perth on October 19. Ajit Agarkar, president of the selectors, said that there was a change to avoid three different captains for change. Rohit is currently playing only ODI in international cricket.
BCCI is eager to prepare Shubman Gill as an all-format leader
The decision to appoint Shubman Gill as India’s ODI captain in place of Rohit Sharma has launched a debate. It is worth noting that Rohit recently led the team to an unbeaten champion Trophy Triumph in March 2025.
The selectors took this step due to dressing-room dynamics instead of performance. According to The Times of India, the selectors and the management feared that Rohit could be maintained as a captain could create a conflicting team cultures in forms.
With the eagerness of the BCCI to prepare Gill as a future all-format leader, the management realized that it was necessary to avoid the captaincy of partition. They believe that this will ensure stability in the approach in formats as India enters a new phase.
Rohit Sharma’s captaincy team could disturb culture – report
The report also stated that head coach Gautam Gambhir initially took a backseat during the first six months of his tenure, allowing Rohit Sharma to lead and implement his strategies.
However, after the loss of the test chain for New Zealand in the house and Australia, Gambhir controlled. In particular, Rohit now plays T20 Eye and plays in ODIs only after his retirement from Test cricket.
“A player of Rohit’s stature in the role of a lead would mean that he will get to run his vision in the dressing room. But playing with him only in ODIs, a format that is played at least, it can harass the team culture,” the Times of India said the BCCI source.
The source said, “Gambhir took a seat in Tests and ODIs in the first six months of his assignment, but the debate against New Zealand and Australia inspired him to work strongly.”
Mass effort by Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agkar – Report
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been included in India’s squad for the upcoming Australia series. He will return to international cricket after the Champions Trophy. However, he has maintained his spot based on the current form rather than reputation.
If they expect to secure places for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, they need to perform continuously. Gambhir and Agarkar considered the challenges to maintain extreme form for two senior players in the late 30s.
“This is a collective effort by serious and Agkar. They understand that it would be difficult for both Rohit and Kohli to be at their peak after two years, given that they are in the late 30s. They did not want to be caught.
The source said, “There was a case in the pair point that declares retirement from tests before selection for England tour. The team won the Champions Trophy and two Tests in England even without Bumrah.”
Also read: Rohit Sharma’s scary 2012 tweet predicted his dismissal and the captain goes viral as Shubman Gill’s appointment.
