Shubman Gill replaced Rohit Sharma as India's ODI captain ahead of the three-match series against Australia, starting October 19. The 26-year-old had taken charge as India's Test captain earlier this year, stepping in for Rohit. Now, Shubman will lead the Men in Blue in Tests and ODIs, while continuing as Suryakumar Yadav's deputy in T20I cricket.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, said that Shubman was appointed as ODI skipper because it was "practically
impossible" to continue with three different captains across formats.
Some fans were disappointed to see Rohit being stripped of captaincy despite guiding India to win the Champions Trophy in March. While the veteran batter was demoted, he was retained as a specialist batter for the tour of Australia alongside his long-time friend Virat Kohli.
Rohit took to 'X' after the BCCI's announcement regarding captaincy and wished his successor good luck on taking up the prestigious role.
"End of an era (45) and the start of a new one (77)," the 38-year-old T20 World Cup-winning captain wrote on X. For the unversed, Rohit wears jersey No. 45, while Shubman sports 77.
Rohit's former India teammates, including Manish Pandey, Ajinkya Rahane, and Praveen Kumar, replied to this tweet and congratulated the stalwart.
While Shubman was appointed as captain, Shreyas Iyer was handed the vice-captain's role. Meanwhile, KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel are the designated wicketkeepers in the squad, with no places for either Rishabh Pant or Sanju Samson. Pant, however, might not be fit in time for the tour.
While Rohit is set to open the batting with Shubman, Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has been named as the backup opener, will be breathing down the former's neck. In the bowling department, Ravindra Jadeja and Varun Chakaravarthy have been shown the door despite notable performances during the Champions Trophy. Mohammed Shami, on the other hand, lost his place in the ODI setup, and an international comeback seems difficult for the Bengal speedster.
