Former India captain and selector Dilip Vengsarkar has stirred debate regarding the composition of the national ODI squad selected for the upcoming series against Australia, commencing on October 19. Vengsarkar has questioned the inclusion of veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, while simultaneously endorsing Shubman Gill as the future captain of the Indian side.
The selection of Sharma and Kohli, both modern-day legends, has raised eyebrows, especially considering their recent transitions to focusing solely on ODI cricket. Both retired from T20Is in June 2024 and Test cricket in May 2025. Vengsarkar argues that assessing the form and fitness of players who participate in only one format is challenging due to the infrequency of ODI matches. He questioned how the selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, gauged their current readiness for the high-intensity ODI format, given their long layoff from competitive cricket since IPL 2025 and their last international appearance in the Champions Trophy in March.
"Rohit and Virat have been great players over the years, but if you are playing just one format of the game, I believe the selectors need to take a call on this," Vengsarkar told Mid-Day. He further added, "I feel you cannot know or judge the form and fitness of such players because they've had a long layoff after the last game they have played. It's very difficult to assess their form and fitness". Vengsarkar suggested that the selectors might have been influenced by their past records and contributions to Indian cricket. However, he stressed that past achievements should not automatically guarantee selection, and the focus should be on building a team for the future.
Despite Vengsarkar's concerns, current chief selector Ajit Agarkar has confirmed that both Sharma and Kohli cleared the mandatory pre-season fitness tests. However, he also hinted that their selection for the Australia tour does not guarantee their place in India's plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
In contrast to his reservations about Sharma and Kohli, Vengsarkar has strongly backed Shubman Gill for a leadership role in the ODI team. On October 4, 2025, Shubman Gill was appointed India's one-day international captain, replacing Rohit Sharma. Vengsarkar believes that Gill is the ideal candidate to lead the side in both ODIs and Test matches, given his proficiency in all three formats of the game. According to RP Singh, former India fast bowler, Rahul Dravid had backed Shubman Gill to become India's all-format captain as early as 2020-21.
Gill's captaincy has been praised by former England spinner Moeen Ali, who believes that the 25-year-old will turn himself into a "very good captain". Gill was also appointed India's Test skipper following Rohit's retirement in May 2025.
The debate surrounding the squad selection extends beyond the inclusion of Sharma and Kohli. Kris Srikkanth, another former national selector, has criticized the selection committee for omitting Sanju Samson from the squad. Srikkanth questioned the decision to pick Dhruv Jurel over Samson as the backup wicketkeeper, arguing that Samson had scored a century in his last ODI appearance. Srikkanth has also questioned the selection of Harshit Rana, implying that Rana's selection was due to favoritism from head coach Gautam Gambhir.
As India prepares for the ODI series against Australia, these selection debates highlight the challenges faced by the team management in balancing experience with youth and building a squad for the future. The performance of Sharma, Kohli, and Gill in the upcoming series will be closely watched as India looks to solidify its plans for the 2027 World Cup.
