Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has weighed in on the way forward for Indian cricket management, predicting that Rohit Sharma will retire from ODIs after the 2027 World Cup, paving the way in which for Shubman Gill to take over because the captain within the 50-over format. Nonetheless, whereas Kaif has backed Gill to steer India in all codecs, reviews counsel that Shreyas Iyer is presently the front-runner to succeed Rohit in ODIs.
Talking on his YouTube channel, Kaif praised Gill’s speedy rise, stating his management credentials and red-hot kind throughout codecs. He additionally stated that Rohit, now 38, and retired from T20Is and Checks, will retire after the subsequent ODI World Cup.
Rohit has been one of many world’s finest batters in white-ball cricket since he was moved to the highest order to open the batting in 2013. Beneath his management, India received the T20 World Cup final 12 months and the Champions Trophy earlier this 12 months.
“Within the final three years, Gill has scored 2,000 runs. He’s the longer term captain. He’s already main the Take a look at workforce, and is now vice-captain in T20Is. When Rohit, who is nearly 38, steps down after the 2027 World Cup, Gill will probably be able to take over,” Kaif stated.
Gill’s latest performances have solely added weight to that perception. After taking on as Take a look at captain following Rohit’s final red-ball task throughout the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he led India to a hard-fought 2-2 sequence attract England and impressed with the bat, scoring 754 runs. He was not too long ago named vice-captain of the T20I aspect for the upcoming Asia Cup beneath Suryakumar Yadav, marking his return to the format after greater than a 12 months.
Regardless of this, sources near the Indian workforce administration have indicated that the selectors have a distinct succession plan for the ODI captaincy. In line with reviews, Shreyas Iyer is being groomed to take cost within the 50-over format. The Mumbai batter narrowly missed choice within the Asia Cup T20 squad because of the workforce measurement restrict, however stays a key determine within the ODI setup.
Iyer has been one in every of India’s most constant ODI performers lately. He performed an important function in India’s Champions Trophy triumph earlier this 12 months, contributing 5 necessary knocks, together with scores of 56, 79 and 48. He has amassed 2845 runs in 70 ODIs at a mean of 48.22, with 5 centuries to his identify.
In line with a Dainik Jagran report, the selectors reportedly imagine Iyer is healthier positioned than Gill to deal with the ODI captaincy resulting from workload concerns. With Gill already main in Checks and being lined up as a future T20I captain, giving him all three codecs is seen as too demanding in in the present day’s packed worldwide schedule.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar acknowledged Gill’s management traits and kind throughout the Asia Cup squad announcement, notably highlighting his success in England. However whereas Gill stays central to India’s long-term plans, the choice for format-specific leaders has prompted the administration to think about Iyer for the ODI job.
Shreyas’ likelihood to take over might come as early because the ODI sequence in Australia later this 12 months, relying on Rohit Sharma’s choice about his worldwide future.
