Captain Shubman Gill backed veteran opener Rohit Sharma despite his below-par showing during India's 2-1 defeat in the three-match ODI series against New Zealand.
Skipper Shubman Gill on Saturday hoped that "phenomenal" Yashasvi Jaiswal will continue to churn out big performances to keep himself in contention in India's ODI scheme of things.
Shubman Gill praised pacer Gurnoor Brar and left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey for their impressive debuts in India's one-sided victory over Afghanistan in the rain-curtailed first ODI.
India begin their 2027 ODI World Cup preparations against Afghanistan with Rohit Sharma's fitness and Nitish Kumar Reddy's all-round abilities under scrutiny, while Shubman Gill continues to shape his leadership credentials.
Skipper Shubman Gill battled the oppressive heat and cramps to produce a magnificent 154 while Ishan Kishan ended a three-year wait for an ODI hundred as India beat Afghanistan by 170 runs in the second ODI to take 2-0 unassailable lead in the three-match series, in Lucknow on Wednesday.
Rohit Sharma scored only 61 runs in three innings at an average of 20.33, failing to register a single fifty in the series against New Zealand.
Former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin has voiced concerns over the current Indian cricket team selections, particularly questioning Shubman Gill's exclusion from T20Is and the non-selection of domestic stalwarts Sarfaraz Khan and Auqib Nabi for the Test squad. Azharuddin stressed the importance of consistent performance and the need for more Test cricket, while also commenting on captaincy roles and player retirements.
Pacer Gurnoor Brar impressed on his international debut before captain Shubman Gill played a regal knock to set up India's seven-wicket win over Afghanistan in the rain-hit series opener.
Virat Kohli was on Sunday named in India's squad for the three-match ODI series against England next month, subject to fitness clearance.
Rana and Sundar also spoke of their respective spells and how they helped India script victory in Sydney.
India all-rounder Harsh Dubey recalls the emotional moment he learnt of his maiden national call-up and speaks about the prospect of sharing the dressing room with Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and captain Shubman Gill during the Afghanistan series.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru defended their IPL crown in style, beating Gujarat Titans by 5 wickets to win back-to-back titles in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Following India's dominant win over Afghanistan in the second ODI in Lucknow, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar praised young fast bowler Gurnoor Brar for his standout performance, highlighting his rhythm, run-up and ability to extract steep bounce.
With limited opportunities coming his way in the ODI format, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal said his focus was on making his starts count as he smashed a fine unbeaten century to guide India to a nine-wicket win in the third match against Afghanistan in Chennai on Saturday.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan discusses India's ODI series against Afghanistan as a crucial opportunity to assess squad depth for the upcoming ICC World Cup, highlighting key players and their roles, especially for South African conditions.
Former India coach WV Raman says a fully fit Hardik Pandya could provide India the edge at the 2027 ODI World Cup, highlighting his all-round value while urging the team management to use the next 12-15 months to experiment with combinations and define player roles.
The inability to turn promising starts into match-defining scores haunted India throughout the series, including in the third and final ODI in Indore.
Shubman Gill on Thursday said he would look to imbibe the 'calmness' that his predecessor Rohit Sharma brought to the dressing room
Harshit Rana returns to the Indian after regaining fitness even as Yashasvi Jaiswal will have to prove his ODI credibility as India look to sweep series against Afghanistan.
India are entering a rebuilding phase in Test cricket, with Shubman Gill facing early challenges as captain amid concerns over form, selection stability, and recent home results.
Afghanistan relying on seasoned spin trio to script first ever win over India
Rahul to continue to bat down the order, Arshdeep could be rested, hints Ten Doeschate
'We just want them to go out there and do their magic'
Madan Lal believes Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has the talent and mindset of cricket legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, advocating for his inclusion in the national team.
India's newly-appointed ODI skipper Shubman Gill on Thursday said senior stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli remain a part of the team's 2027 World Cup plans as their skill levels and voluminous experience cannot be ignored.
'He doesn't play T20 cricket. So, he will not be a part of the World Cup in 2026 in India. But when they go to 2027 in South Africa, he will be 40 years old. And that's a big number in sport.'
'We don't know how long Rohit Sharma will continue.'
A recap of the action of the eighth week of IPL 2026.
Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif has defended Rishabh Pant after he was removed as India's Test vice-captain following a disappointing IPL season with Lucknow Super Giants. Kaif said Pant should not be judged on his IPL performances alone and insisted he remains India's biggest match-winner in Test cricket.
India will take on Afghanistan in a one-off Test from June 6 onwards at New Chandigarh. This comes after the Men in Blue suffered a 0-2 clean sweep loss to South Africa at home last year, marking back-to-back series whitewashes in two years in a row, after a 0-3 whitewash loss to New Zealand in 2024, which marked the end of India's 12-year unbeaten streak at home.
IPL 2026 Week 6 featured Rohit Sharma's explosive return, Urvil Patel's record-equalling fifty, Finn Allen's maiden IPL ton and Rashid Khan's brilliant comeback spell.
Jos Buttler expressed his satisfaction after Gujarat Titans' victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru, emphasising the importance of the win for their playoff aspirations. Shubman Gill and Buttler's strong batting performances, along with Rahul Tewatia's finishing, secured the win. RCB skipper Rajat Patidar acknowledged his team's insufficient score.
Ravichandran Ashwin has called for urgent measures to safeguard Test cricket, stressing the importance of first-class cricket as the pathway to the longest format and warning that young players need stronger incentives to pursue red-ball careers.
Indian cricketers, including Test skipper Shubman Gill and ODI captain Rohit Sharma, have cleared the pre-season fitness test which was conducted at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on Sunday.
Spin great Harbhajan Singh said the selectors were right in appointing Shubman Gill as India's ODI captain last year, stating that the youngster is ready for "big challenges".
After this snub, it looks difficult for Shubman Gill at this point to make a comeback to the T20 team with plenty of talented young players waiting in the wings.
Robin Uthappa on Shubman Gill's ODI captaincy, says 'Rohit will be 41 by 2027 World Cup'
The charismatic presence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma alongside a host of top India cricketers lends unprecedented gravitas to the Vijay Hazare One-Day Trophy beginning on Wednesday, giving all of them a chance to prove a point amid a renewed focus on domestic grind.
Dhawan also highlighted Rohit Sharma's influence on young players, particularly the openers, emphasising how his vast experience helps shape their game.
Rohit Sharma was replaced as India's ODI captain by Shubman Gill last year despite winning the ICC Champions Trophy and T20 World Cup within a span of nine months.
