New Delhi: The Indian cricket team is preparing to host Australia in a white-ball series following the conclusion of the ongoing two-match Test series against the West Indies. The series will comprise three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and five T20 Internationals, commencing on October 19.
In anticipation of the series, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled India’s squad, highlighting a significant change with the appointment of Shubman Gill as the new ODI captain, replacing Rohit Sharma.
Following Rohit’s removal as ODI skipper, questions arose regarding his position in India’s squad for the ODI World Cup 2027. Former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif weighed in on this matter, suggesting that Rohit’s future will depend on his performance in upcoming matches and series. “Now it will be match by match, series by series. The field is equal for everyone. Once a player has tasted captaincy and developed a passion for it, he will find it hard to focus solely as an opener. His heart will not be in it,” Kaif remarked in a video on his YouTube channel.
Kaif also shared his thoughts on Shubman Gill stepping into the role of ODI captain, indicating that Gill may have been appointed too early in his career and could have benefited from additional time under Rohit’s mentorship. “It will be a loss for Gill. If he had spent another six months with Rohit Sharma, he would have learned the nuances of captaincy. Just recently, Shubman Gill captained during the IPL league phase, leading the team to the top, but they faltered under pressure, losing the last three matches,” Kaif noted.
