Modern-day batting great Rohit Sharma’s stint as India’s ODI captain has seen numerous highs and lows. During that time, he scripted India’s biggest-ever win by runs in ODI history and the fastest run chase in the format. Despite him being among the most successful leaders in the game, he has passed the responsibility to Shubman Gill appointed as the new ODI captain ahead of the Australia tour.
In January 2023, at Thiruvananthapuram, India hammered Sri Lanka by 317 runs, recording the largest-ever victory margin in ODI cricket. Virat Kohli’s magnificent 166 off 110 balls and Shubman Gill’s 116 took the Men in Blue to 390/5 before dismissing Sri Lanka for just 73 in 22 overs. A few months later, Rohit’s men delivered another record, the fastest run chase in ODI history. In the 2023 Asia Cup final at Colombo, Mohammed Siraj’s dream spell of 6/21 bundled out Sri Lanka for 50, and India clinched a win in just 6.1 overs, winning by 10 wickets with 263 balls to spare.
Rohit Sharma’s record as ODI captain
Rohit’s overall record as captain is staggering. In 56 ODIs, he guided India to 42 wins, having a win percentage of over 72%, the highest by any Indian captain in ODI history and second only to the legendary Clive Lloyd globally among skippers with 50+ matches. His tenure witnessed success in ICC events as he led the team to the 2024 T20 World Cup title, and more recently, to an unbeaten campaign at the 2025 Champions Trophy in the UAE. Notably, the team also finished as runner-ups in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
However, the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar, alongside head coach Gautam Gambhir, has now chosen to look ahead, handing over the ODI captaincy to Shubman Gill. The decision comes with an eye on the 2027 ODI World Cup, with the 26-year-old seen as the long-term leader. The new ODI squad announced for the Australia series starts on October 19. While Rohit and Virat Kohli return to the squad for the first time since the Champions Trophy final, Gill will captain with Shreyas Iyer as vice-captain.
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