On Saturday, Shubman Gill was named as India's 28th ODI captain as the selection committee announced the squad for the upcoming three-match series in Australia.
Having replaced Rohit Sharma as the Test captain earlier this year, he will assume the responsibilities in ODIs as well, after he was named Sharma's deputy during the Champions Trophy in February and March.
Additionally, he was also the vice-captain of India during the recent Asia Cup win on his return to the T20I side.
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The decision divided opinions as many felt that Sharma's removal as captain could have been done in a better way.
Former India international Robin Uthappa, however, feels that BCCI made the right choice by appointing Gill as the new captain and the timing could not have been better, considering the ODI World Cup is just two years away.
READ: What did Rohit Sharma say about playing the 2027 ODI World Cup?
Robin Uthappa reacts to Shubman Gill replacing Rohit Sharma as India's ODI captain
Backing BCCI's decision, Uthappa said on his YouTube channel, "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.
"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 stuffs. 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."
MORE: What did Virat Kohli say about the 2027 World Cup?
Uthappa added, "Yeah, I think so. I think they’ve been doing well as well… So far, they’ve played exceptionally well. So, I think they’ll continue to do well… They know how they get their runs and how they perform well, and they’ll stick to their set templates that works for them, and I think they’ll continue to do that.
"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."
MORE: Is Gill being overburdened with responsibilities?
What is Shubman Gill's captaincy record?
In List A cricket, Gill has played as a captain on 6 occasions, winning 5 matches. On the other hand, in international cricket, he has won 4/5 T20I matches and 3/6 Tests.
Overall, the batter has fared well as a leader across formats. Despite a poor first season as GT's captain, he bounced back well in 2025 to take them to the playoffs.
| Format | Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | Tied/NR | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | -/- | 50% |
| T20Is | 5 | 4 | 1 | - | -/- | 80% |
| IPL | 27 | 14 | 13 | - | -/- | 51.85% |
| List A | 6 | 5 | 1 | - | -/- | 83.33% |