The cricketing world is buzzing with mixed reactions following Shubman Gill’s appointment as India’s One Day International captain. Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh weighed in on the decision, offering his congratulations to Gill while openly sharing his reservations about Rohit Sharma’s removal from the leadership role.
“First of all, congratulations to Shubman Gill. He’s been leading the team well in Test cricket, and now he has the added responsibility of leading the ODI team,” Harbhajan stated on JioHotstar. He acknowledged the fresh challenge awaiting Gill, noting, “Of course, it’s going to be a new challenge for him as he hasn’t done this before.”
However, Gill’s promotion has also brought an element of surprise for Harbhajan, especially considering Rohit Sharma’s remarkable track record in white-ball cricket. “Rohit is someone who holds a very good record in white-ball cricket. Honestly, it’s a little shocking to see him not being captain but still selected,” he admitted.
Harbhajan went on to emphasize Rohit’s consistent performance and significant achievements, which include guiding India to victories in tournaments like the Champions Trophy. “I thought if he was going to Australia, he would have been captain again. He has been one of the pillars of Indian cricket in white-ball formats,” the former spinner added, underscoring Rohit’s pivotal role.
While confident in Gill’s abilities, Harbhajan pondered whether Rohit could have continued his captaincy for the upcoming tour. “Shubman can wait a little and take the team forward after 6–8 months or a year. There’s still a lot of time until the 2027 World Cup,” he suggested, advocating for a more gradual transition.
Concluding his thoughts with a balanced perspective, Harbhajan remarked, “I’m happy for Shubman, but at the same time, I’m a bit disappointed that Rohit is not captain. His experience and leadership are invaluable, and he deserved this tour.”
Rohit Sharma, aged 38, had a distinguished tenure as India’s full-time ODI captain from December 2021, leading the team in 56 ODIs with an impressive 42 wins, 12 losses, one tie, and one no-result. His captaincy highlights include clinching the 2018 Asia Cup as stand-in skipper, followed by the 2023 Asia Cup title as full-time captain. Under his guidance, India also reached the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup and notably lifted the Champions Trophy.
Meanwhile, Shubman Gill stepped into the Test captaincy role after Rohit’s retirement from the format in May, prior to India’s tour of England. In his debut series as Test captain, Gill successfully steered India to a 2-2 draw against England, while also emerging as the series’ highest run-scorer with 754 runs at an exceptional average of 75.40.
When questioned about the difficulty of replacing Rohit Sharma as India captain, especially given his Champions Trophy win in his last game, Ajit Agarkar responded, “Even if he had not won, it would have been a difficult decision. But sometimes you have to look forward, where you stand, interest of the team. Tough call.”