Shubman Gill to take over ODI reins from Rohit Sharma after ICC Champions Trophy?

Earlier in the year, Shubman Gill captained Team India against Zimbabwe to a 4-1 victory but had a forgettable season as Gujarat Titans skipper.

If it wasn’t already confirmed after the Sri Lanka tour when Shubman Gill was named vice-captain for ODIs before Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul or for T20Is over Hardik Pandya, it’s almost certain now that Gill will be the India cricket team’s captain in 50-over cricket when Rohit Sharma steps away from the format.

Yesterday, the Indian captain and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Chairman of Selectors Ajit Agarkar announced Team India’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy. There weren’t many surprises. Simply because most expected that Rishabh Pant would be picked over Sanju Samson and that Mohammed Siraj might be rested.

If there was any topic of discussion that came about, it was that Gill was named vice-captain. When the opportunity had presented itself in August, neither Rahul nor Iyer was named deputy to Rohit Sharma. Of course, it made sense that neither were handed the leadership.

Pandya was overlooked in the T20I series against Sri Lanka. And now, Axar Patel has been named Team India’s T20I vice-captain for the upcoming England tour. Again, not making Pandya the vice-captain isn’t exactly a chin-scratching decision either. If there was someone in the squad who could have been given the responsibility over Gill, it was Jasprit Bumrah.

The pacer has already led Team India in two formats (T20Is and Tests) and was the captain in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy when Rohit Sharma wasn’t there. There are concerns over his fitness, but if Agarkar can name him in the squad, suggesting that he’ll be available for the ICC Champions Trophy, why can’t he be Rohit Sharma’s deputy?

The answer is simple. The BCCI has earmarked him to take over the captaincy in ODI cricket. Agarkar had hinted towards it as well. Posed the question over the vice-captaincy, the Chairman of Selectors had said, “A lot of feedback comes from the dressing room. You want to keep your options open. Not a lot of people lead teams. We always keep a lookout for someone who has got leadership qualities.”

Reports suggest that head coach Gautam Gambhir wanted to make Pandya the vice-captain, but the duo of Agarkar and Rohit Sharma were adamant about going with Gill. There is something about the 25-year-old that they have recognised that perhaps the cricketing community hasn’t.

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra isn’t exactly shocked by the decision either. “Gill being made the vice-captain means he is the heir apparent. They were focusing on him earlier and are continuing to do so now. To be fair, they should as well. His numbers in ODIs are very good,” he said on his YouTube channel.

Nothing about his demeanour on the field screams leader. His captaincy record isn’t that great either. Unlike Rishabh Pant, who orchestrates things from behind the stumps, one can’t see what Gill contributes. At this moment, he’s one of the best ODI batters in the world. But is that it?

He’s long been seen as someone as the successor to Virat Kohli, but Gill hasn’t shown anything to suggest so. The talent is there, but in his now 6-year career, one can’t say at one particular moment he was undoubtedly the best batter in the world. With Kohli present, he isn’t even the best ODI batter in the team, much less the world.

At this point, it seems like his untapped talent and Bumrah and Pandya being injury-prone are the reasons that Gill has been earmarked by the BCCI as the next India ODI captain after Rohit Sharma.

Shubman Gill record as captain