‘End of an era’: Rohit Sharma’s 13-year-old post goes viral as Shubman Gill replaces him as ODI captain | Cricket News

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)

Shubman Gill has been appointed as India’s new ODI captain, replacing Rohit Sharma ahead of the three-match series against Australia starting October 19. The 26-year-old, who earlier this year became India’s Test captain, will now lead the team in both Tests and ODIs while serving as vice-captain in T20Is under Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership.BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained the decision stating: “It was practically impossible to continue with three different captains across formats.”

The leadership change comes despite Rohit Sharma’s recent success in guiding India to victory in the Champions Trophy in March. Rohit, 38, has been retained in the squad as a specialist batter alongside Virat Kohli for the upcoming Australia tour.

Following the announcement, an old social media post from Rohit has gained attention. The former captain had written on X (formerly Twitter) over 13 years ago: “End of an era (45) and the start of a new one (77).” The numbers reference their jersey numbers – Rohit wears 45 while Gill sports 77.

Rohit Sharma tweet

Along with Gill’s appointment as captain, Shreyas Iyer has been named vice-captain of the ODI squad. The wicketkeeping duties will be shared between KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel, with both Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson missing from the squad. Pant’s absence may be related to fitness concerns.The opening batting position will see Rohit partnering with new captain Gill, while Yashasvi Jaiswal has been included as a backup opener. The selection committee has made significant changes in the bowling department as well.Ravindra Jadeja and Varun Chakaravarthy have been left out of the squad despite their performances in the Champions Trophy. Mohammed Shami has also lost his place in the ODI setup, potentially marking the end of his international career in the format.The three-match ODI series against Australia will be Gill’s first assignment as ODI captain, where he will lead a mix of experienced players and new talents. The series will also mark the beginning of a new chapter in Indian cricket with the changed leadership dynamics.This leadership change represents one of the most significant transitions in Indian cricket, especially considering Rohit Sharma’s successful tenure as captain across formats. The decision to appoint Gill as captain in multiple formats while retaining experienced players demonstrates the selectors’ focus on long-term planning while maintaining current team strength.