With Rohit Sharma’s future in ODI cricket under a cloud as the Indian team prepares to plan for the 2027 Cricket World Cup, all eyes are on the captaincy of the team in the 50-over format, with Shubman Gill widely expected to take over the reins, but Ambati Rayudu had a different opinion.
Gill was named India’s Test captain after Rohit’s retirement and impressed by leading a young team to a 2-2 series draw in the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy (ATT). His batting stole the show with 754 runs in five matches that included four centuries. This was the second-highest aggregate by an Indian player in a Test series in history.
Gill was also vice-captain of the Indian team, which won the 2025 Champions Trophy under Rohit’s leadership in March earlier this year. However, Rayudu called for Shreyas Iyer to be named as the new captain of the team in the 50-over format.
“With his extraordinary calmness, he led KKR to become champions. After that, he has guided a young Punjab team, no one even gives them a chance. He is an extraordinary captain. He should be appointed very soon,” said Rayudu in an interaction on Shubankar Mishra’s YouTube Channel.
Shreyas Iyer’s Strong Case
Shreyas has been absent from India’s Test and T20I teams for more than 18 months, but has been a key member of the ODI side. The right-handed batter was a key part of the Indian team that reached the 2023 World Cup with a tally of 530 runs at an average of 66.26 with two centuries. Later, he was the highest run-getter of the Rohit Sharma-led side when they won the 2025 Champions Trophy with 243 runs in five innings.
As a captain, he has established himself among the greatest in IPL history. He has led three teams to the final and is the only skipper in the league’s history to play the summit clash with multiple teams. Last year, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) won the title under Shreyas’s leadership after 10 years. Meanwhile, the Indian star captained the Delhi Capitals to their sole appearance in the summit clash in 2020 and inspired the Punjab Kings (PBKS) to the title clash after 11 years earlier this year.