India might soon encounter a major issue of leadership before the ODI series with South Africa as Shubman Gill, the ODI captain at present, has a neck injury. He is being referred to as a doubtful case for the series. The situation gets worse with the fact that Shreyas Iyer, the vice-captain, is also injured and will probably not participate in the ODIs.
With both Gill and Iyer unavailable, the biggest question is: Who will lead India now?
Will Rohit Sharma Return as ODI Captain?
Fans immediately turned their attention to Rohit Sharma, hoping he might get a chance to lead the team again. However, former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has made it very clear that this is unlikely to happen.
Kaif said, “They will not go back to Rohit Sharma. He will deny it himself.” He believes Rohit will not take up the ODI captaincy again even if BCCI considers him.
Kaif has publicly denounced the board’s previous decision to strip Rohit of his ODI captaincy. In his opinion, the ODI captaincy was “snatched away” from Rohit though Gill was not even advocating for the role himself. Kaif believes that Rohit deserved another year rather than being replaced so soon.
Kaif Backs Rohit as a Key Player
Even though he doesn’t expect Rohit to return as captain, Kaif strongly feels Rohit will continue to be very important for India in the coming years. He believes Rohit will play a major role in India’s preparation for the 2027 ODI World Cup, especially as a senior top-order batter.
Also read: IPL 2026 Auction: 5 Players Rajasthan Royals Could Target ft. Faf du Plessis, Pathirana & More
So, Who Will Lead India Now?
The selectors are probably going to consider other players if Gill and Iyer are out and Rohit is not coming back as the captain. Perhaps they will touch base with an ODI player who has experience and knows the setup well.
The chances are pretty high that KL Rahul would be the one to take over the leadership.
At the moment, though, the decision regarding the captaincy will rely on:
- The last medical report of Gill
- Iyer’s health
- And the availability of senior players for selection
One thing is certain: India’s ODI leadership will see some fresh changes in this series.
Did back-to-back games cause Gill’s injury?
Shubman Gill did not get any rest at all. He played continuous matches back-to-back, starting from the IPL, then the England Tests, the Asia Cup, the Australia tour, and now the South Africa Tests. This heavy workload has contributed to his injury.
All other players, including Bumrah, received rest, but Gill did not.
Written By:- Manjunath S