The tenure of contemporary batting sensation Rohit Sharma as India’s ODI captain has been filled with highs and lows. He wrote the quickest run chase in ODI history and India’s largest-ever victory by runs during that period. Even though he is one of the most effective game managers, he has delegated responsibility to Shubman Gill, who was named the new ODI captain prior to the Australia tour.
India crushed Sri Lanka by 317 runs at Thiruvananthapuram in January 2023, setting a record for the biggest margin of victory in ODI cricket. Shubman Gill’s 116 and Virat Kohli’s incredible 166 off 110 balls propelled the Men in Blue to 390/5 before dismissing Sri Lanka for just 73 in 22 overs. The quickest run chase in ODI history was set a few months later by Rohit’s team. Mohammed Siraj’s incredible 6/21 innings in the 2023 Asia Cup final at Colombo bundled out Sri Lanka for 50, and India won by 10 wickets with 263 balls remaining in just 6.1 overs.
The record of Rohit Sharma as an ODI captain
Rohit Sharma has an incredible record overall as captain. With a win percentage of nearly 72% in 56 ODIs, he led India to 42 victories, the most of any Indian captain in ODI history and the second-highest among captains with 50 or more games worldwide, after the great Clive Lloyd. He guided the side to the 2024 T20 World Cup championship and, more recently, to an undefeated performance at the 2025 Champions Trophy in the United Arab Emirates, demonstrating success in ICC competitions during his tenure. Interestingly, the squad placed second in the 2023 ODI World Cup as well.
But the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee and head coach Gautam Gambhir have decided to look ahead and have given Shubman Gill the ODI captaincy. The 26-year-old is viewed as the long-term captain, and the choice was made with the 2027 ODI World Cup in mind. On October 19, the new ODI team for the Australia series will be revealed. Gill will serve as skipper, with Shreyas Iyer serving as vice-captain, while Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli make their first appearances in the team since the Champions Trophy final.
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