Shubman seen as obvious successor to Rohit as skipper
Mumbai, Aug. 22 -- After Shubman Gill was reinstated as India's T20I vice-captain for Asia Cup, having missed the previous three bilateral series while he was focused on ODI and Tests, it's all but certain that the 25-year-old is being seen as the future all-format captain.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said there was no plan to appoint Shreyas Iyer as ODI captain after Rohit Sharma, and refuted media reports to that effect. He told HT: "That's news to me. There have been no such discussions."
Other officials privy to happenings in the selection committee meeting also denied that the panel had anyone other than Gill as India's next ODI captain. "He averages 59 in ODIs and is already the vice-captain. There is no way someone who has recently been appointed Test captain, found some success and has age on his side should not take over leadership in ODIs, when the time comes," another BCCI official said.
Whether the time has already come for Rohit, 38, to hand over reins is yet to be formally discussed. Leading BCCI officials, selectors and India coach Gautam Gambhir are all expected to be involved in discussions before any decision is made.
As HT has reported, the selection committee is not confident that Rohit's form and fitness would hold up for the next ODI World Cup, slated for October-November 2027. Rohit and Virat Kohli continuing to play ODIs - both have retired from T20Is and Tests - is likely to be decided only after the selectors have spoken to both about their physical and mental preparedness. India next play an ODI series in Australia in October.
With Gill, even though he may have made some tactical errors as captain during the England series, those in judgement are happy with his bucketful of runs. The feeling is that he will only get better as captain and that he will have the dressing room with him now that he is clearly seen as a future all-format leader. With ICC events being played annually, after the 2026 T20 World Cup the focus will shift entirely to ODI cricket.
On Gill's elevation to captaincy in T20I cricket, a lot would depend on how quickly he's able to ace the format where India have begun to display an aggressive brand of cricket. It's a matter for the future with Suryakumar Yadav firmly in the saddle till the T20 World Cup.
With the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025 passed by both houses of parliament, the fantasy gaming industry faces an existential crisis, leaving in doubt the leading companies' deals with Indian cricket - My11Circle is IPL sponsor and Dream11 lead sponsor with BCCI - in doubt. "We've to obey the law," Saikia said. "I am not commenting on any company or contract because it is premature as the president's assent to the bill is still pending. We will examine it. But we cannot violate the law."
A change in the men's selection committee is in the offing with Sridharan Sharath likely to make way for Pragyan Ojha from the South Zone. Former India left-arm spinner Ojha played 24 Tests. He retired from international cricket in 2020. To qualify as national selector, the BCCI rules mandate that a candidate must have retired at least five years earlier....
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