Not Gautam Gambhir, Ajit Agarkar has made Shubman Gill the ODI captain, says Sanjay Bangar

Published - 20 Oct 2025, 18:45 IST | Updated - 21 Oct 2025, 09:12 IST

Former India cricketer and batting coach Sanjay Bangar feels Gautam Gambhir had less of a role to be played in appointing Shubman Gill as ODI captain, as compared to the BCCI's selection committee. Gill, who was previously announced as Test captain, was appointed as full-time ODI captain ahead of the ongoing series against Australia.

Bangar opined that team composition should be determined by the selectors and not be on the basis of the coach’s preferences. According to Bangar, Gambhir cannot dictate terms with respect to appointment of certain player as the leader of the side, and such calls are always taken by the selectors, which in this case is the panel led by Ajit Agarkar.

"As far as I know, it cannot be the coach's call. The coach has to work with the team he has got. It's not about the coach's comfort. The coach has to adjust to the team. It's not the other way round. That's how it happens in cricket. You have a highly capable batter in Shubman Gill. He has age on his side and has an experience of 5-6 years in international cricket. I think it is the selectors who have taken the call," stated Bangar during an interaction with JioStar.

Parthiv Patel, who was also a part of the same conversation, continued by backing the Men in Blue head coach for understandably wanting a maximum of two captains and not a separate one for each format. The former India cricketer reasoned his take by providing the perspective of several captains having different philosophies.

"It's an absolutely fair call. Coach Gautam Gambhir also mentioned in his interview that people need to think about me also. We have been thinking that the team is of the captain but the way coaches work these days, the effort that goes behind the scenes," the former wicketkeeper-batter said.

"It's not easy for them to work with captains, who may have different philosophies, especially if they are not even travelling together. Shubman Gill is one player who travels with the team in all formats. It is not easy to plan and keep communicating. I'm with Gautam Gambhir at this time when he said he needed only two captains and not three," Parthiv added.

Sidhu slams user for misquoting remarks on Gambhir, Agarkar

It was expected that the veteran batter Rohit Sharma would lead the 50-over side in Australia. However, Gill was announced as the person to replace the 38-year-old only weeks ahead of the tour. India are currently 0-1 down in the series Down Under, having lost the opening encounter on October 19 in Perth by seven wickets.