Follow UsFormer India batter Robin Uthappa believes the selectors have made the right call by appointing Shubman Gill as India’s new ODI captain, giving the youngster enough time to grow into the role ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup, to be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
Although Rohit Sharma has been included in India’s squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series in Australia starting October 19, he has been relieved of captaincy duties. Gill takes over as skipper, with Shreyas Iyer named as his deputy.
Rohit hasn’t played any competitive cricket since the IPL 2025, with his last international appearance coming during the Champions Trophy earlier this year. By the time the next World Cup arrives, he will be 40 years old.
"He's gonna be, in all honesty, 41 when that World Cup comes around. Right? So, you gotta keep that in consideration as well. And for all intents and purposes, I think it's done with taking the decision when the stakes are low rather than when the stakes are high, you don't want another situation like what happened in Australia," Uthappa said on his YouTube channel, as reported by The Times of India.
Many in the cricket fraternity feel Rohit’s place in the 2027 World Cup squad may no longer be guaranteed. Despite being the skipper, Rohit was dropped from India's Test playing XI during the tour of Australia earlier this year. He has since retired from red-ball cricket, leaving ODIs as his only active international format.
However, Rohit’s ODI form remains exceptional. Since 2023, the Mumbai batter has scored 1,714 runs in 37 innings at an average of 48.97 and a strike rate of 117.2. Uthappa emphasised that while Rohit’s captaincy tenure might have ended, he could still feature prominently in India’s 2027 World Cup campaign if he maintains his form and fitness.
"To happen to Rohit Sharma, he's too good a player for something to happen to him like that again. So, maybe to avoid all those stuff. Maybe, I don't know… You don't want an uncomfortable situation like that, and if he keeps himself fit, then no questions there. You know Rohit and Virat will be a part of that side," he added.
"I don't see form kind of dipping that sense, but it's just about reflexes and does that work, and how those things work because right now, they are not playing a lot of cricket as well. The only cricket they'll find themselves playing is perhaps the IPL and One Day cricket, and perhaps maybe some domestic One Day matches if they do come by."
While Rohit’s tenure as ODI captain may have ended, his record as India’s multi-format leader remains outstanding. Under his leadership, India have lost only one of their last 25 matches across three ICC events.
The Men in Blue were unbeaten through the 2023 ODI World Cup, only falling short in the final against Australia. Rohit then guided India to the 2024 T20 World Cup title in the USA and West Indies, before another undefeated campaign in the 2025 Champions Trophy, ending India’s long ICC trophy drought.