'Biggest honour to lead India': Shubman Gill's first reaction on becoming ODI captain, shares World Cup vision

NEW DELHI: In a landmark decision signalling the start of a new era, the Indian selectors on Saturday removed Rohit Sharma from ODI captaincy and handed over the reins to young opener Shubman Gill, with the 2027 World Cup firmly in sight. The move, long anticipated within Indian cricket circles, underlines the selectors’ intention to groom Gill as India’s all-format leader.

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Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, two of India’s modern-day greats, continue to feature in the 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series in Australia, ensuring that experience remains integral to India’s transition. Shreyas Iyer has been named Gill’s deputy for the series, scheduled between October 19 and 25 in Sydney, Adelaide, and Melbourne, followed by a five-match T20I series.


Shortly after the announcement, the BCCI released a special video titled “Shubman Gill, presenting Team India’s new ODI captain”, capturing Gill’s journey from his Test captaincy elevation earlier this year to his new role as white-ball leader.




The video began with a flashback to May 24, 2025, when Gill was named India’s Test captain. Reflecting on that milestone, the stylish right-hander had said,

“That is definitely a bit overwhelming. As a young kid, when anyone starts playing cricket, they want to play for India — and not just play for India but to play Test cricket for a very long time. To be able to get this opportunity is a great honour. Like you said, it’s a big responsibility.”


Fast forward to October 4, 2025, as Gill was named India’s ODI captain, he acknowledged his emotional connection with Ahmedabad, where several of his major milestones have unfolded.

“Difficult to put it in words, this state is very special for me — from captaining my IPL team, to being named Test captain, and leading my first Test at home — all of it happened here. This venue has always been very special for me,” Gill said.

Reacting to his latest appointment, Gill described leading India in ODIs as “the biggest honour” of his career.

“It’s the biggest honour to be able to lead your country in one-day cricket, and to lead a side that has done so well. It’s immense pride for me and I hope I’ll be able to do great,” he said.

Looking ahead to India’s build-up toward the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Gill underlined his long-term vision and commitment: “I think we have about 20 ODIs before we play the World Cup. The ultimate goal is the World Cup in South Africa. Everything we play now — every player we try — is to ensure we’re fully ready to win that World Cup.”

With youth, form, and leadership converging in Shubman Gill, India’s white-ball future appears set on a new path.

India’s ODI squad for Australia tour

• Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (VC), Axar Patel, KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel (WK), and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

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