Shubman Gill has begun his journey as India’s new ODI captain with one clear goal: winning the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
The 26-year-old takes over from Rohit Sharma. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar confirmed his appointment while announcing the squad for India’s upcoming limited-overs tour of Australia.
Rohit Sharma has stepped down as captain but remains in the ODI setup. He and Virat Kohli have both retired from Test and T20 cricket but will continue to play the 50-over format.
Speaking to bcci.tv, Gill said his main focus is building momentum for the next two years. The 2027 World Cup will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
“We have around 20 ODIs before the World Cup. The main goal is to win it in South Africa,” Gill said. “Every match we play and every player we test will be part of that plan. Hopefully, we’ll be ready to bring the trophy home.”
Gill said captaining India in ODIs is the biggest honour of his career. “Leading this team fills me with pride. India has a strong history in this format, and I’ll do everything I can to live up to those standards,” he added.
He also shared a personal reflection about Ahmedabad, a city that has become special in his career. Just before his ODI captaincy was announced, Gill led India to victory in his first home Test as captain against the West Indies at the same venue.
Ahmedabad is also home to the Gujarat Titans, the IPL team he leads. “This place means a lot to me,” Gill said. “From leading my IPL side here to becoming India’s Test captain, and now leading in a home Test – it all happened here. It’s very special.”
As Gill takes charge of a new era in Indian cricket, fans will watch closely to see if he can guide the team to another World Cup win and continue India’s proud legacy in ODIs.
