Is Shubman Gill the future captain of Indian ODI team?

Dubai: With the Champions Trophy set to begin, Rohit Sharma has made it clear — Shubman Gill is central to India’s plans. The Indian captain believes Gill’s form will be crucial to their title hopes and is calling for strong contributions from the entire batting line-up, just like in their dominant 2023 World Cup campaign.

“Gill is a classy player. There was never a doubt about his ability in this squad,” Rohit Sharma told the media on the eve of the team’s opening clash against Bangladesh in Dubai.

Gill has been one of India’s most promising young batters, and his recent return to form has only strengthened his case as a key figure in the squad. With Rohit backing him as vice-captain, there are signs that the team management sees him as more than just a dependable top-order batter. A strong Champions Trophy campaign could further cement his standing, potentially paving the way for an even bigger role in the future.

“Certain players have their strength in certain formats, and it’s not the right way to judge them across formats,” Rohit said. “Gill’s numbers have been superb for us in the last three to four years. Obviously, there is a reason he has been elevated as vice-captain of the team. Hopefully, he has a great tournament, and it will eventually help us achieve the things we are looking to achieve.”

Gill’s return to the opener’s slot against England proved to be a turning point, with the Punjab batter scoring a century and two half-centuries in the recently concluded series. Rohit emphasised that having one of the top-order batters convert starts into big scores would be key to India’s success.

“If one of your top five gets a big score, it will eventually give the team a big total. The batters are experienced and understand the value of it,” he said. “In the ODI World Cup, there were only a few hundreds, but we went on to score 350-plus quite a few times, with all eight batters chipping in.”

India’s squad is packed with all-rounders — Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar — who played a crucial role in rescuing the team against England. Their depth gives Rohit flexibility, especially in unpredictable conditions.

Dubai’s pitches have historically favoured teams chasing, but the Indian captain isn’t reading too much into that. Instead, he believes adaptability will be key.

“I never go with a set plan. Whatever works for us, we will try and do that.

“Dew is a very unknown factor to all of us, and it is very unpredictable. Similarly, we have the arsenal to combat overcast conditions,” he said confidently.

A weather bulletin from the National Centre of Meteorology for Thursday: “Partly cloudy and cloudy at times with the probability of light rainfall around coastal areas. There will be a gradual increase in temperature during the day, and it will be humid at night.”

The Champions Trophy format leaves little room for slip-ups, with only two teams from Group A progressing to the semi-finals. Rohit knows the importance of a winning start.

“The format is very important. The T20 World Cup or Champions Trophy don’t give scope for a comeback. The 50-over World Cup is a little different because you get 10 matches to play. In the T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy, where you have only two or three games, the pressure increases if you lose one match. I don’t think too much about it as it can drive you crazy. I just feel that let the game start and let’s see where it goes,” he concluded.

India will play all three of their group-stage matches in Dubai, as the tournament is being held in a hybrid model after the government refused permission to travel to Pakistan. Their next match is against defending champions Pakistan, who suffered a heavy defeat to New Zealand in the tournament opener in Karachi on Wednesday.

Arriving in Dubai on the back of a dominant home series win against England, India are riding high on confidence. While young stars like Gill and Shreyas Iyer have stepped up, the resurgence of senior players has further bolstered the squad. Rohit himself ended a lean patch with a century in the second ODI against England in Cuttack, while Virat Kohli’s half-century signalled his return to rhythm.

With form, depth, and experience on their side, India are well poised to make a deep run in the tournament. And if Gill continues his upward trajectory, this campaign might just mark the beginning of an even bigger chapter in his career.