The Indian middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer is now seen as the frontrunner for the captaincy of the ODI team after Rohit Sharma's retirement from the format. According to the latest reports, the selectors have considered him as a long-term alternative to Rohit Sharma, especially in terms of captaincy. At the same time, Iyer did not find a place in India's 15-member squad for the Asia Cup 2025. In response to that, Shubman Gill has returned to the T20I team and has also been made the vice-captain. Gill has recently taken over the captaincy of the Test team and is believed to soon take over the captaincy of the T20I team in place of Suryakumar Yadav.
The Asia Cup 2025 will be played in the UAE from 9 to 28 September, and it is to be believed that only after this a big decision will be taken regarding the captaincy of India's ODI team.
Apart from this, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will also be given full authority to decide about their ODI careers. The selectors want Rohit Sharma to rest from the responsibility of captaincy so that he can fully focus on his batting.
The latest reports state that Rohit and Virat might play their last ODI against Australia in the upcoming tour. Meanwhile, after Rohit, Shreyas Iyer may get the command of the ODI team after the 2025 Asia Cup.
There have always been many stories going on in Indian cricket, and the biggest question right now is whether Virat Kohli (36 years) and Rohit Sharma (38 years), who have scored more than 25,000 runs together, will continue to play till the 2027 ODI World Cup or not.
Both Virat and Rohit are among the best ODI batsmen of India. Virat Kohli has scored 14,181 runs in 302 matches, having an average of 57.88, and he has scored 51 centuries and 74 half-centuries, having the best score of 183 runs.
On the other hand, Rohit Sharma has scored 11,168 runs in 272 matches. His average is 48.76, which includes 32 centuries and 59 half-centuries. His best score has been 264 runs.
Both played their last ODI matches in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which the Men in Blue won without losing any game. Virat Kohli scored a total of 218 runs in 5 matches, including a century against Pakistan and an innings of 84 runs in the semi-final against Australia. At the same time, Rohit's tournament was a bit mixed, but he scored 76 runs in the final to lead the team to victory. Overall, Rohit scored 180 runs, with an average of 36.00 and a strike rate of 100.00.
At present, it is important for the Indian team to decide the future of the captaincy. The selectors want the team to be led by new and young players, who can make the team strong for a long time. Therefore, the chances of Shreyas Iyer's captaincy have increased, as he has performed well in recent IPL and domestic matches.
At the same time, the return of Shubman Gill to the team will also give new enthusiasm to the team. Gill has taken over the responsibility of captaincy in the Test team, and now his role is expected to increase further. Gill's appointment as vice-captain is also being considered a positive sign for the team, as he can prove to be a good captain in the future.
Now it remains to be seen how these young players show their abilities in the upcoming Asia Cup and Australia tour and how well they perform the responsibility of captaincy. Indian cricket fans are closely monitoring these decisions, as these challenges will determine the team's future.