‘Shubman Gill didn’t want captaincy, BCCI pressurised him’:Mohammad Kaif’s explosive claim after Rohit Sharma removed as ODI skipper

It has been two days since the BCCI announced a major leadership change, removing Rohit Sharma as India’s ODI captain and handing the role to Shubman Gill. The move has sparked widespread debate, with reactions continuing to pour in. Among those to speak strongly on the matter is former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif, who believes Rohit should have remained captain until the 2027 ODI World Cup. Kaif expressed concerns that the decision to give Gill multiple leadership roles in such a short span of time could have long-term consequences. While he acknowledged Gill’s talent and fitness, Kaif warned that overburdening the youngster with responsibility may backfire. Rohit, who recently led India to a Champions Trophy triumph, now finds himself without the captaincy. Kaif suggested that this sudden move could also affect Rohit’s batting form and motivation heading into the next series against Australia, starting October 19. Also read: Former West Indies all-rounder Bernard Julien passes away: Breathed his last at 75, was part of the 1975 World Champion team Kaif shares his insight on Gill’s captaincy Kaif, in a video on his YouTube channel, felt the transition was expected but happened far too soon. He said, “This was on expected lines, but I felt this would happen after the 2027 World Cup. The guy has quality, and he’s also worked on his fitness. He had a realistic chance of playing the 2027 World Cup. However, the load falls on Gill. He’s getting all of it in a hurry. It could also lead to a loss. When you get so much in such a short time, it could backfire,” he said. “My point is that don’t overburden him. He captains in Tests, bats at No. 4. He was made the vice-captain in the Asia Cup – will take over when Suryakumar Yadav steps aside. Now you’ve made him the ODI captain. I feel everything is being done in a hurry. A player never asks for captaincy. Everyone knows that he didn’t want it. You can’t demand it, but everyone seems to like him a lot and considers him a captain for the future. The selectors, including Ajit Agarkar, have pressurised him,” he added further. Also read: Kohli-Rohit fever takes over Australia with match tickets sold out: Reasons why Aussies are excited to witness Men in Blue in action ahead of India’s tour Rohit Sharma ‘Loses his right hand’ – Kaif Kaif was also sympathetic towards Rohit Sharma, highlighting that he did not get a long run as captain despite his impressive record.“What wrong has Rohit Sharma done? It’s very unfortunate that we didn’t get a long captaincy run from Rohit. Not even 4 years. A great batter, an outstanding leader and as captain, he could have had an even more impressive captaincy record. When you snatch captaincy, I feel that a player loses his right hand,” Kaif remarked. He pointed out that Rohit, known for delivering in big matches such as his 76 in the Champions Trophy final, will now be judged only on individual performances. With the leadership role gone, Rohit faces a new challenge, proving his worth purely as a batter in every series.