The cricketing world is abuzz with the news of Shubman Gill’s appointment as India’s ODI captain. Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has weighed in on this significant development, extending his congratulations to Gill while also expressing a sense of disappointment over Rohit Sharma’s unexpected 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. “Of course, it’s going to be a new challenge for him as he hasn’t done this before.”
However, Harbhajan couldn’t hide his surprise regarding Rohit Sharma’s captaincy change. “Rohit is someone who holds a very good record in white-ball cricket. Frankly, it’s a little shocking to see him not being captain but still selected,” he remarked.
The veteran spinner further lauded Rohit’s consistent performance and his notable achievements, including leading India to the Champions Trophy and other major tournament victories. “I genuinely believed 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,” Harbhajan added, reflecting on Sharma’s importance.
While confident in Gill’s capabilities, Harbhajan suggested a more gradual transition. “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 noted.
Concluding his thoughts, Harbhajan offered a balanced perspective: “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, 38, served as India’s full-time ODI captain from December 2021. During his tenure, he captained India in 56 ODIs, securing 42 wins, 12 losses, one tie, and one no-result. He guided India to the 2018 Asia Cup title as stand-in captain and then led the team to the 2023 Asia Cup triumph as full-time skipper. Under his leadership, India also reached the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup, and his stint culminated with India lifting the Champions Trophy.
Shubman Gill, meanwhile, took over as India’s Test captain following Rohit’s retirement from the format in May, ahead of India’s tour of England. In his debut series as Test captain, Gill steered India to a 2-2 draw in England and emerged as the highest run-scorer, amassing 754 runs at an average of 75.40.
When asked how difficult it was to replace Rohit Sharma as India captain, especially considering he won India the Champions Trophy in the last game for India, Ajit Agarkar commented: “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.”