New Delhi, Aug 21 – The BCCI is reportedly considering Shreyas Iyer as the frontrunner to replace Rohit Sharma as India’s ODI captain, with an eye on building towards the 2027 World Cup.

According to Dainik Jagran, Iyer is being viewed as the long-term option despite Shubman Gill’s name being in contention earlier. The board is said to be wary of Gill’s already heavy workload, as he currently leads India in Tests and serves as T20I vice-captain.

Iyer, 30, strengthened his case with a standout Champions Trophy 2025, scoring 243 runs in five matches, including crucial knocks that powered India to the title. In ODIs overall, he has 2845 runs in 70 games at 48.22, with five centuries.

The final call, however, depends on Rohit Sharma’s international future. The 38-year-old could play his last series during the October ODIs against Australia, with Virat Kohli also nearing the end of his white-ball career. BCCI officials are expected to meet after the Asia Cup to chart the transition plan.

Why not Shubman Gill?

Despite his success as a batter and leader, Gill has been ruled out of ODI captaincy to manage workload. With India’s jam-packed schedule—including a Test series against West Indies in October, a T20I tour of Australia, and a full South Africa series—the board believes making him captain across formats would risk burnout.

If Rohit steps down after the Asia Cup, Iyer could take over as early as the Australia series. Otherwise, the transition might be delayed.

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