South African great AB de Villiers has endorsed Shubman Gill’s appointment as India’s ODI captain ahead of the upcoming Australia tour. De Villiers pointed out that with no certainty over Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli continuing until the next 50-over World Cup, naming Gill as skipper was a smart move.
On October 4, the BCCI announced the men’s squads for the three-ODI and five-T20I series in Australia, starting October 19. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained that the leadership change allows Gill more time to prepare for the 2027 mega tournament. In a recent YouTube video, De Villiers remarked:
“It’s not a guarantee both of them will be there for that next World Cup. That’s maybe part of the thinking when they made Shubman Gill the ODI captain. He has a good chance of being there, young gun, in incredible form and a fantastic leader. I think this was the right move, to still have Rohit and Virat.”
“Shubman Gill will learn from two of the most experienced Indian players of all time, high quality, legendary players. It will be fantastic for Shubman to have them around. It will be for the tour which is around the corner actually. So, we will be bucking up for some high-entertainment and a great series.”
“Kohli And Rohit Can Shape Gill Into A Great Captain”- AB de Villiers
Responding to a fan query on whether Kohli and Rohit will feature in the next World Cup, AB De Villiers said their participation will largely depend on form and consistency, with the 2027 tournament still two years away. He added:
“They find themselves in the ODI side. I think that is the reason they are hanging on, to play another World Cup for Team India. It’s great to see. Whether it’s going to happen, I don’t know. Honestly? Form dependent or are they playing enough cricket? It will take a lot from them to be there in 2027. Still a long way away. It’s not that far but it’s not so close.”
“There’s lots of cricket to be played and form to be kept. They’ve got to score runs and that should be the message from the selectors. As big as legends they are, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will walk into my team and I will play them without looking at where they’ve been or what they’ve been doing.”
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