Team India has been in a transition period for over a year. First, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja retired from T20Is following T20 World Cup 2025 triumph in Barbados. Then, Suryakumar Yadav was named T20I captain. Then, Rohit, Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin retired from Tests as India could not make it to the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final. It was followed by Shubman Gill getting the Test captaincy. The transition is likely to take place in ODIs as well. While Rohit and Kohli have not retired from ODIs, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is looking at the 38-year-old’s successor as captain. There were speculations that Gill may get the nod, but, it is Shreyas Iyer who is the frontrunner for the job.
Gill was Rohit’s deputy in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. It was natural to assume that Gill would be Rohit’s successor given that he took over Test captain and was recently named vice-captain for T20I side. However, as per a report by Dainik Jagran, the circumstances have changed. Iyer is being viewed as Rohit’s successor considering the amount of cricket that is being played.
“The decision was taken according to the situation at that time (Champions Trophy). There is so much cricket being played at this time that no player can play as a captain continuously in all three formats. In such a situation, Gill was given the captaincy of the Test and along with that, he is being seen as the future captain of the shortest format by giving him the vice-captaincy of T20,” the source told the Hindi daily.
India’s next ODI series is on Australian soil in October 2025. Before the series, conversations will take place regarding Rohit and Kohli’s future. A final call will be taken after the meeting.
“A meeting will be held regarding this after the Asia Cup. The concerned people will talk to Rohit and Virat and tell them the future strategy,” the source said.
Why Shubman Gill will not be ODI captain?
Gill will not get the ODI captaincy as playing all three formats is not just taxing on the body, but on the mind as well. BCCI wants Gill to be mentally focused, especially with Test series at home against West Indies and South Africa this year.
“See, he has just come after drawing the five-Test series 2-2. Earlier it was thought that he should be made the captain in all three formats but considering the continuous tournaments, it is not possible. Playing in all three formats as a player and playing in all three formats as a captain are different things,” the source said.
“The captain has to take a lot of decisions. Apart from physical, one has to be mentally focused as well. If you make someone a captain, then you expect him to play continuously in that format. Gill will now play in the Asia Cup. The Asia Cup will end on September 28. After this, the West Indies team will play two Tests in India from October 2 to 14, in which he will captain,” the source added.
Shreyas Iyer's ODI record
Iyer has played 70 ODIs and scored 2,845 runs from 65 innings at an average of 48.22 and strike rate of 100. He has five centuries and 22 fifties to his name in the format.