The three-match ODI series between India and Australia is set to begin on October 19, with the opening encounter taking place at the Optus Stadium in Perth. India’s newly appointed ODI captain, Shubman Gill, has expressed deep admiration for senior stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as he prepares to lead the national side for the first time. The young skipper also pledged to uphold the legacy built by MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli, three of India’s most successful captains.
Shubman Gill on Taking Over as Captain
Gill acknowledged that captaining India comes with great responsibility, especially when following in the footsteps of legends like Dhoni and Kohli. He also revealed that he has had several meaningful conversations with both senior players about leadership and the team’s vision.
“Definitely very exciting, you the big shoes for me to fill in, carrying forward the legacy that first Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni), Virat’s, and Rohit’s has left for us and so many experiences and so many learnings that, you know, I’ve had numerous conversations with both Virat, Virat and Rohit on how to take the team forward and what kind of culture that they want for the Indian cricket team to be able to take forward and,” said Shubman Gill ahead of the ODI series against Australia.
How Rohit and Virat Inspired Shubman Gill
Gill shared that growing up, he idolized both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Their hunger for success and the way they approached the game left a lasting impact on him. Now, as captain, he considers it a privilege to lead a team featuring such iconic players and hopes to continue learning from their vast experience.
“Obviously these are the kind of players, you when I was a kid I used to idolize them. The kind of game that they used to play, the kind of hunger that they had, is something that inspired me and it’s a big honour for me to be able to lead such legends of the game and learn from them. I mean, even in the series, there were so many instances where, you know, I think I would be able to learn from their experience, and whenever I think I would be in a difficult situation, I wouldn’t shy away from getting any suggestions or advice from them,” added Gill.
India vs Australia ODI Schedule
1st ODI – October 19 – Perth Stadium
2nd ODI – October 23 – Adelaide Oval
3rd ODI – October 25 – Sydney Cricket Ground
India’s Squad for the Australia ODIs
Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (Vice-Captain), Axar Patel, KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel (Wicketkeeper), Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Gill’s words highlight both respect and responsibility as he embarks on his new role. With guidance from seasoned campaigners like Rohit and Virat, India’s young leader looks determined to begin a new chapter while carrying forward a golden legacy in Indian cricket.
