Follow UsOn October 19 (Sunday), in the first ODI against Australia, Shubman Gill will have the opportunity to have two of modern-day greats, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, play under his captaincy. Appointing Gill the captain of the ODI side, while still having Rohit in the team, is seen as a vital transition as India prepare for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
While there has been plenty of chatter of how Gill would fare as captain with the two heavyweights in the side, he remains calm, dismissing the outside noise, emphasising that nothing has changed.
"I think the narrative outside is different, but among us, nothing has changed. Everything is the same as it was before, and that is very helpful," Gill said ahead of the first ODI in Perth.
"Whatever they feel, their experience, whatever they have learned, whether by reading the pitch or any situation, I go to them and ask what they think, how they would do it if they were in my place. I like knowing people's thoughts and then, based on my own understanding of the game, I make my decisions accordingly."
Gill also adds that he does not think twice before approaching Kohli or Rohit when he is in need of advice.
"I have a very good relationship with both Virat Bhai and Rohit Bhai. Whenever I have a doubt about anything, I go to them, take their suggestions, seek their advice, and they never hesitate to tell me anything. See, I think that's the real wealth of experience," the 26-year-old said, adding that it will be a huge honour to lead players who he once grew up watching.
"I mean, obviously, these are the kind of players I used to idolise when I was growing up," Gill said.
"The kind of hunger that they had used to inspire me. It is a big honour for me to be able to lead such legends of the game. I am sure there would be so many moments in this series where I would be able to learn from them. If I get in a difficult position, I wouldn't shy away from taking advice from them."
Gill acknowledges that he has big shoes to fill, but he sees it as an opportunity to take India's ODI legacy forward.
"Definitely, very exciting. Big shoes for me to fill in to carry forward the legacy of MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. So many experiences and so many learnings I have had," the batter said.
"I have had numerous conversations with both Rohit and Virat on how to take the team forward and what kind of culture they want for the Indian cricket team. I think those learnings and experiences would help our team going forward."
As far as his batting form is concerned, Gill has been in terrific form in the 50-over format. He is one of just three players who have scored over 2,000 runs in the format since 2023.