When ICC chairman Jay Shah referred to star Indian batsman Rohit Sharma as India’s captain, even though the veteran was no longer captain, Sharma’s response attracted attention at a recent occasion.
Prior to the October 2025 tour to Australia, selectors started preparing for the 2027 ODI World Cup, and Shubman Gill took Rohit’s place as India’s ODI captain. The 38-year-old, who has previously retired from Test and Twenty20 International cricket, now only appears as a specialist batsman in the 50-over format. Despite the passing of the leadership torch, Rohit’s reputation as one of India’s most accomplished captains endures.
Shah spoke to Rohit as captain of India during the ‘United in Triumph’ ceremony, discussing the team’s recent achievements. The batter responded to the remark by grinning. Shah congratulated Rohit for leading India to two historic ICC victories and said that titles, not official titles, define leadership.
Check out this video:
Jay Shah 🗣️: “our captain Rohit Sharma is sitting here. I am still calling you captain because under you, we won two ICC trophies”.
Jay Shah is grateful to Rohit Sharma for ending the drought of ICC trophies for India 🥹🇮🇳pic.twitter.com/7xjVZdjkwQ
— Kusha Sharma (@Kushacritic) January 8, 2026
Shah recalled the heartbreaking loss for India in the 2023 ODI World Cup, where the squad won the competition but lost in the championship match. Then he talked about how the Nagpur-born player kept his word in early 2024 by leading the Men in Blue to victory in the Champions Trophy in 2025 and the T20 World Cup later that year.
“This is where our captain is sitting. He has led the squad to two ICC trophies, so I will only refer to him as captain. After 10 straight victories in the 2023 World Cup, we were only able to win hearts rather than the trophy. At the United in Triumph event in February 2024, Shah declared, “I had said in Rajkot that we will win both hearts and the cup in the next World Cup.”
Remarkably, Rohit became India’s permanent ODI captain in December 2021 and guided the side to victory in 42 of 56 games.
He finished second at the 2023 World Cup and won the Asia Cup and Champions Trophy during his term. With 49 victories in 62 games and a winning ratio of more than 79%, he continues to be India’s most successful skipper in T20Is.
A different Rohit moment from his training session went viral earlier. Videos of him batting in Mumbai appeared ahead of the next three-match ODI series against New Zealand, which begins on January 11. Fans were excited when they saw the opener hitting straight sixes and appeared noticeably slimmer and sharper.
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