Former Indian middle-order batter Mohammad Kaif has made a stunning claim regarding Shubman Gill captaining the Indian ODI team amid the ongoing series against Australia. Kaif opined that the youngster must be feeling some guilt inside, leading veteran Rohit Sharma, given that Rohit hadn’t done many things wrong during his captaincy tenure.
With Gill captaining in ODIs for the first time, the start hasn’t been auspicious, as India are currently trailing 2-0 in the series. The 26-year-old has some big shoes to fill, with Rohit propelling India to the 2023 World Cup final and Champions Trophy success earlier this year. Unfortunately, the start under Gill’s leadership has not been impressive.
Speaking in a recent video on his YouTube channel, the 44-year-old Kaif suggested that different thoughts might be running through Gill’s mind, especially since his predecessor was removed despite significant achievements. He elaborated:
> “It takes time for any new captain. Now, for Gill, he has Rohit Sharma, a proven leader, playing under him. Gill also knows that Rohit Sharma has not done anything wrong as a captain. He was removed from captaincy. When Gill goes to sleep in his hotel room, he must be thinking that Rohit bhai has not done anything wrong. He must be feeling the guilt inside, that people are backing me, but think about Rohit bhai—he did so well and won trophies, but even after that, he was removed, and I was named captain.”
Kaif also feels that this transition phase of the side contributes to the current losses, stating that the young captain needs to be given time to settle in.
> “So, considering everything—fatigue, travel, playing so many matches on the trot, and having the task of captaining Rohit and Kohli—it will take time. This is a transition phase for Gill as ODI captain. Whenever he leads Rohit and Kohli, he will feel nervous. So this is a time where the runs are not coming from the bat, and we lost a bilateral ODI series—I don’t even remember when we lost a bilateral series. So, all of this has happened under his captaincy, and this had to happen.”
Gill’s batting returns have also suffered, with scores of 10 and 9 in the first two matches. Although the right-handed batter has looked promising in the deliveries faced, he has been unable to capitalize on good starts.
Reflecting on Rohit Sharma’s gritty innings of 73 in the second ODI in Adelaide, Kaif believes the opener would have been pleased to spend time at the crease under challenging conditions. However, the retired cricketer also feels that the loss would have been tough for Rohit to accept.
> “Rohit Sharma has set an example in this match. He wouldn’t have been happy, given the team lost. He has always said that my runs should be in a winning cause. When the team wins and my contribution is there, that’s when I’m happy. He has always said it, so he won’t be that happy. He got the runs, took time against good seam-bowling on challenging conditions. He took time at the start, got beaten, and played his natural game later to get runs. He got out at the wrong time, could have played an innings of 100 or even 120. He would have been upset.”
Kaif also noted how Rohit was actively involved in the game despite not being captain. He helped Gill and the bowlers with field placements throughout the match. This, Kaif felt, demonstrated Rohit’s selflessness and leadership qualities despite being removed from the captaincy.
> “What I saw was he was involved in the game so much despite not being captain. He was supporting and making Gill understand things. I have seen with senior players that when they are removed from captaincy despite making the team win consistently and making records, even after that, he thought for the team. He could have been laid back, thinking nobody would blame him, thinking ‘I’m no longer captain, I have also scored and I won’t be dropped.’ But he didn’t let Shubman Gill take the blame; he was desperate to see India win, whether or not he is captain.”
> “When Rohit was on the field, he gave his everything. He spoke to Arshdeep about what field to set. When India won the T20 World Cup in 2024, Arshdeep thrived under him. A lot of players have played under him. Even if India had won, the credit would have gone to Gill. It doesn’t matter for him, but Rohit showed how big a person he is and it shows his good upbringing. He thought even if he is removed as captain, he won’t let India lose.”
Rohit Sharma remains the most successful Indian ODI captain among those who have led the team in at least 50 games, holding an impressive winning percentage of 75.
India will face Australia, led by Mitchell Marsh, in the final ODI on Saturday, hoping to avoid a whitewash.
—
**About the author:**
Aayushman Vishwanathan is a cricket journalist at Sportskeeda who covers news, features, and listicles. A finance graduate with a diploma in journalism, he has around 7 years of work experience with bylines on reputed websites like Free Press Journal, Cricket Addictor, and Roar. He has interviewed former Australia stalwarts and is an avid admirer of the Australian cricket team’s aggressive and never-say-die attitude. His favorite cricketer is Steve Smith, whose self-belief and unorthodox methods have been a strong inspiration. Outside cricket, Aayushman enjoys reading fiction and watching the TV show Grey’s Anatomy.
—
*Stay tuned for IPL Auction 2025 live updates, news, and biddings here at Sportskeeda for the fastest coverage on the Mega-Auction and all things cricket.*
https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/news-he-supporting-making-gill-understand-things-former-india-batter-s-massive-praise-rohit-sharma-aus-vs-ind-2025-2nd-odi
