Shubman Gill Elevated To Be India’s Next ODI Leader? Rohit Sharma Gives Bold Message

When the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selectors appointed Shubman Gill as the team’s new ODI vice-captain for the three-match series against England and the following Champions Trophy 2025, many raised questions about the resolution.

But the Punjab batter has made a dream start to his new journey to shut the doubters. The right-hander batter displayed his calmness at the new number three position for the national side.

Shubman Gill batted at number three in the Nagpur ODI

Gill walked away with the Player of the Match award in their four-wicket victory during the opening ODI at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.

The home team management decided to hand over southpaw Yashasvi Jaiswal a debut, which pushed Gill to the number three position. Before yesterday’s encounter, Shubman batted only four times at the position to have around 180 runs in four innings at an average of nearly 45 with a century.

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Virat Kohli missed this fixture due to a knee injury. That provided the management a chance to use Gill at the number three position. The demotion fell on Shreyas Iyer, who walked at number four in the batting department.

Shubman Gill’s courageous 87-run knock

Shubman Gill began with a fine leg-sided boundary against Jofra Archer before cutting his length delivery into the leg stump to gain his very first boundary of the chase. He pulled the quick short ball of the Barbados-born at the deep backward square leg to the other side of Adil Rashid.

Shreyas Iyer’s flurry of boundaries from the other end helped the Punjab-born to get settled in the middle. When Buttler introduced spin into the attack in the form of Adil Rashid, Gill used the trajectory of the ball to open the blade at the last moment to guide it to the left of the short third for a boundary. After Iyer’s dismissal, Axar Patel soaked the early pressure of a new batter with some big shots. Gill swept away Rashid to the deep mid-wicket for a boundary and celebrated his 13th ODI half-century.

Shubman finished with an excellent knock of 87 runs in 96 deliveries, shouldering on 14 boundaries. The home side chased down the score with four wickets in hand and more than ten overs to spare.

Rohit Sharma’s bold message to Shubman Gill

At the end of the game, Shubman Gill, who is set to be India’s vice-captain even in the Champions Trophy, addressed that their captain Rohit Sharma had suggested he share inputs without any hesitation.

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“In batting, not much has changed. But on the field, I want to know what the thinking is and what Rohit bhai thinks and give my input. He tells me if you want to tell me anything in the match, do not hesitate.” Gill mentioned when asked about being promoted as the new vice-captain of the ODI side.

The veteran has overall 2415 ODI runs at 58.90 in 48 innings. His strike rate of 101.30 inspires a lot for the future, thanks to his six centuries and 14 half-centuries at the best score of 208. In the opening position, he has clubbed 2149 runs in 43 innings at nearly 60.

“Trying to be positive. There was a little in it for fast bowlers. The idea was not to go too much on the back foot and play good cricketing shots. When a player [Iyer] comes like that, the opposition also goes on the back foot. Good decision on his part also helped me.” Shubman Gill revealed his thoughts on 19/2.

“The pull I hit through midwicket when I was batting on 70. I thought it was a bit double-paced. Spinners varied their pace well when they bowled slow, it was turning. Had it in mind to look to the square of the wicket and not try to hit down the ground.” He concluded.