Rohit Sharma’s future in ODI cricket is uncertain as India start planning for the 2027 World Cup. This has shifted attention towards the leadership of the team in the 50-over format, with Shubman Gill widely seen as a strong contender to take over the captaincy. However, Ambati Rayudu has expressed a differing viewpoint.

After Rohit’s retirement, Gill was named India’s Test captain and impressed with his leadership in the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy (ATT). He led a young team to a 2-2 series draw and made a remarkable contribution with the bat, scoring 754 runs in five matches, which included four centuries.

Gill also served as vice-captain of the Indian team that won the 2025 Champions Trophy, under Rohit’s leadership earlier this year. Despite this, Rayudu has suggested that Shreyas Iyer should be appointed as the new ODI captain.

“He led KKR to victory and made them champions. Since then, he’s successfully guided a young Punjab team that many overlooked. He is a good captain and should be appointed soon,” Rayudu stated.

Shreyas Iyer’s Impact in World Cup and IPL

Although Shreyas Iyer has been absent from India’s Test and T20I teams for over 18 months, his role in the ODI side has been pivotal. He was a key figure in India’s journey to the 2023 World Cup final, accumulating 530 runs at an impressive average of 66.26, including two centuries. Shreyas also finished as the highest run-scorer for India during their 2025 Champions Trophy victory, amassing 243 runs in five innings.

In addition to his international success, Shreyas has excelled as a captain in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has led three different teams to the final, becoming the only skipper in the league’s history to do so. Under his leadership, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) won the IPL title for the first time in 10 years last year. Shreyas guided Delhi Capitals to the final in 2020 and led Punjab Kings (PBKS) to the summit clash earlier this year, after a gap of 11 years.