Shubman Gill Set to Lead India in Upcoming ODI Series Against Sri Lanka

India's Tour of Sri Lanka Confirmed

The Indian cricket team is expected to visit Sri Lanka in August this year. This decision follows the BCCI's announcement to delay the white-ball series against Bangladesh, which was originally set for next month.

Initially, the Men in Blue were scheduled to play three ODIs and three T20Is in Bangladesh. However, this series has now been postponed to September 2026. In light of this change, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and another cricket board have proposed a limited-overs series during the same timeframe, with Sri Lanka expressing interest in hosting India for three ODIs and three T20Is next month.

Potential Leadership Changes for India

As the situation develops, the selectors may introduce several unexpected changes if the Indian team indeed travels to Sri Lanka. While significant alterations to the T20I squad seem unlikely, the ODI team could see a different approach.

Reports suggest that the selection panel, led by Ajit Agarkar, is considering replacing Rohit Sharma as the ODI captain. Although Rohit has retired from T20Is and Tests, he remains available for the 50-over format. Earlier this year, he successfully led India to victory in the ICC Champions Trophy, but his captaincy may soon be at risk.

With the next World Cup still a couple of years away, the management is likely eager to appoint a captain who is actively participating in international cricket. Consequently, Rohit could be removed from his ODI captaincy role.

Shubman Gill: The Likely Successor

Given the uncertainty surrounding Rohit Sharma's future as captain, Shubman Gill has emerged as a strong candidate to lead the team in the forthcoming series against Sri Lanka. Gill was appointed as the Test captain in May after Rohit announced his retirement from the longest format.

He has been prepared for a leadership role for some time now. As Rohit approaches the end of his career, it would not be surprising if Gill takes over as the ODI captain soon. Despite the potential change in captaincy, both Rohit and Virat Kohli are expected to remain part of the ODI squad.

Predicted ODI Squad for Sri Lanka Series

The anticipated squad for the ODI series against Sri Lanka includes: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (C), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (w), Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, and Jasprit Bumrah.