Shubman Gill breaks silence on leading Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in ODIs
Team India's newly appointed ODI captain Shubman Gill finally spoke about whether his equation with Rohit Sharma changed after the ODI captaincy baton was passed to him ahead of the three-match series against Australia.
Aahead of the series opener in Perth, Gill set the record straight, saying both Rohit and Virat Kohli are more than open to sharing their experiences. Gill stated that whatever the narrative is outside, the reality is quite different, as he continues to share a great bond with two stalwarts of the game. The batter, who hails from Punjab, has shown quite a bit of promise as captain in Tests, but now the entire world is waiting to see how he goes about leading RoKo.
“Whatever the narrative might be there outside, there has been no such thing between us. It is just like old times. He is very helpful, and he always shares his experiences. I have been asking him for his suggestions. I asked him, 'What would you have done on this wicket if you were the captain?' I like to pick the brains of other players,” Gill told reporters in Perth on Saturday.
“I have a good equation with both Virat and Rohit bhai. I always take their advice, and they are not hesitant when it comes to giving their take,” he added.
When India were leaving for Down Under, Rohit was seen hugging Gill and the same video captured Virat patting the youngster's back. Both Rohit and Virat are returning to international cricket for the first time after the Champions Trophy 2025 win. There is quite a bit of chatter about the duo's participation in the 2027 ODI World Cup, and the series against Australia will give an idea about the form of the two legends. Gill was candid enough to admit that he has big shoes to fill when it comes to leading the ODI team, as MS Dhoni, Virat and Rohit have all had their share of success.
“I mean, obviously, these are the kind of players I used to idolise when I was growing up. 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,” said Gill.
“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,” he added.
Gill, who recently oversaw his first Test series win as a captain, also said that all the learnings and experiences of prior instances will hold him in good stead. “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,” said Gill.
“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,” he added.
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