Gill replaces Rohit as ODI captain, India crush Windies in first Test

Test skipper Shubman Gill has replaced Rohit Sharma as India’s ODI captain, the country’s cricket board said Saturday, starting with the series in Australia.

The 38-year-old batsman Rohit and fellow stalwart Virat Kohli, 36, were both named in the squad for the three-match series beginning on October 19.

Top-order batsman Gill, 26, is now Test and one-day skipper, and vice-captain to Suryakumar Yadav with India’s T20 side.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said Gill was chosen to lead the 50-over team with the 2027 World Cup in mind.

“Firstly, it’s practically impossible to have three different captains for three formats,” Agarkar said in Ahmedabad, where Gill led the hosts to a crushing win over the West Indies in the first Test.

“Obviously, at some stage, you’ve got to start looking at where the next World Cup is.

“It’s also a format which is played the least now, so you don’t get that many games to actually give the next guy that much time to prepare himself or plan.”

Agarkar said he communicated the captaincy switch to Rohit, but refused to give any more details.

Agarkar is eager to see how Rohit and Kohli handle playing just one format of the international game.

They have both retired from T20Is and Tests.

“Those are two really experienced guys who’ve been around for a long time, so they would perhaps find it a little bit alien just to play one format which is played the least,” said Agarkar.

“Whether not playing a lot of cricket makes a difference, one should ask them and we’ll find out when they play, but it doesn’t happen too many times.”

Gill took over the Test captaincy from Rohit starting with the series in England in the summer, earning praise for both his leadership and batting.

He led from the front, scoring 754 runs in five Tests to help India draw the keenly contested series 2-2.

Gill also leads Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League.

Rohit, one of India’s most successful limited-overs captains, led the side to a record third Champions Trophy title in Dubai earlier this year. Gill’s vice-captain for the Australia series will be Shreyas Iyer.

Suryakumar will lead the T20 team in Australia.

India will play five T20 matches after the ODIs in Australia, seen as a preparation for the T20 World Cup in February-March in India and Sri Lanka.

India currently top both the ODI and T20 team rankings of the International Cricket Council.

Jadeja shines: All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja starred with bat and ball as India hammered West Indies by an innings and 140 runs inside three days of the first Test on Saturday.

India declared on their overnight 448-5, a lead of 286, and then bundled the West Indies out for 146 in the second session at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

It was another heavy and demoralising defeat for West Indies, who are a pale shadow of the team that once ruled world cricket.

Left-handed Jadeja stood out for India with 4-54 from his spin bowling after he hit an unbeaten 104 for his sixth Test century and was named player of the match.

Alick Athanaze, a left-handed number three, made 38 and offered some belated resistance with Justin Greaves in a partnership of 46, but the rest of the West Indies batting fell apart.

Washington Sundar and then pace bowler Mohammed Siraj struck regular blows before Kuldeep Yadav wrapped up the match as the West Indies innings folded in 45.1 overs.

Siraj continued his good form with figures of 4-40 in the first innings after West Indies opted to bat.

He then extended his tally of wickets this year to 30, after playing a key role in India’s 2-2 draw in England.

India have still not lost a Test to the West Indies at home since 1994.

West Indies were swept 3-0 at home by Australia this year and were bowled out for 27 in the third match — the second-lowest score in Test history.

Their batting woes continued after they won the toss and could only manage a meagre first innings total of 162.

“Obviously, we had a poor batting display, that’s been something that’s been plaguing us for the past two series,” Chase told reporters. “We’ve not been able to at least bat 80 overs by a day or even get at least 250 or 300 runs on the board.”

“I just think that we have to improve our skill levels.”

Agencies