Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes there is a captaincy void in the current Team India setup. He pointed out that while Shubman Gill was appointed vice-captain for the ICC Champions Trophy, Prithvi Shaw had captained the U-19 team at the World Cup, but Gill has not had that experience.
Despite a tough Test tour of Australia, Rohit Sharma retains his ODI captaincy for the England series and the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. Gill’s continued vice-captaincy suggests he could be seen as a future replacement for Rohit.
On his YouTube channel, Ashwin mentioned that Gill could face a challenging situation if Rohit were to be injured during the Champions Trophy. The Tamil Nadu legend shared his thoughts:
“These are very big shoes to fill. Let me be very honest here. If Rohit is injured and Shubman has to captain the Champions Trophy, I will look at him with tears in my eyes. He has also captained Gujarat Titans. He is very young in his strides as a captain.”
“In the U-19 World Cup, Prithvi Shaw led the team, but Shubman Gill did not. I am looking at it as a forward-looking move. Yes, it is arguable. Yes, it is debate but it is not absurd. I have been saying this many times. There is a leadership vacuum in Indian cricket. If Rohit, Virat, or Bumrah are not there, there is a leadership vacuum,” the 38-year-old went on to add.
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Ravichandran Ashwin Praises Shubman Gill’s Potential as Team India’s ODI Vice-Captain
Ashwin acknowledged Gill’s inexperience for captaincy but noted his potential to succeed with more experience. He shared his views on Team India’s future leadership candidates. He stated:
“I have seen them from close quarters. They were on their learning ropes. Basics have to be taught to them. Under Rohit Sharma, this grooming opportunity is a blessing for him. It is also a directive. There is also a potential junior in Rishabh Pant. Maybe he is not in the leadership zone.”
“Shubman Gill is listening. Shubman Gill has the potential. He wants to learn. Maybe there is intrinsic feedback from the team one knows that. I cannot break everything and say. So from that angle, maybe let’s try him,” Ashwin concluded.
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