'I don't see Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma playing 2027 ODI World Cup': Australia series squad sparks new debate

Team India batter Shubman Gill has been appointed as India's new ODI captain for the upcoming Australia tour, replacing Rohit Sharma, with Shreyas Iyer named as vice-captain for the three-match series.

The Indian squad welcomes back Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, while Jasprit Bumrah will rest during the ODIs and Yashasvi Jaiswal returns to the team.



Suryakumar Yadav will captain the T20I side, with Gill serving as vice-captain. Nitish Kumar Reddy joins the T20I squad, while Hardik Pandya is absent due to injury.

"I do not see Virat and Rohit playing in the 2027 World Cup... Pant, yes, despite being injury-prone. The team will rely on young leaders like Gill to shape the future. This is a perfect opportunity for him to step up and guide India to success," said David Gower in an interview with Cricket Predicta.

"This is an excellent decision by the selectors. Making Gill captain is a forward-looking move. He will be prepared for the World Cup. Now it will be interesting to see how Rohit Sharma performs under Gill's leadership," Lal said, as quoted by ANI.

"Shubman Gill is an excellent leader and has proven himself in Test cricket. He came very close to breaking Don Bradman's record (during the Test tour of England for most runs in a series). He is the future, and the selectors have made that clear. We must give him time to mature as a captain, especially as we aim for ODI glory in 2027. This series will provide him with the necessary exposure."

Rohit Sharma has stepped away from all leadership positions in the team. Future selections for both Rohit and Virat will be based solely on performance.

The status of Rohit's future in ODI cricket and his participation in the 2027 World Cup remains uncertain, with BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar yet to make any official statements.

This leadership transition marks the beginning of a new phase in Indian cricket as the team focuses on upcoming series and future World Cup preparations.

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