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Former India pacer Rishi Dhawan has backed rising sensation Shubman Gill to develop into a strong leader and captain India at the 2027 ICC Men's ODI World Cup, while also expressing his desire to see veteran stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli feature in the showpiece event.
Gill was appointed India's Test captain in May 2025 after Rohit Sharma retired from the longest format, then named ODI captain in October 2025. Gill has captained India in 15 ODIs and 11 Tests so far. In the 50-over format, India have recorded eight wins and seven losses under his leadership, with notable series victories over Afghanistan and the West Indies. Gill's ODI captaincy has also featured a record-breaking individual performance. During the second ODI against the West Indies in Guwahati, he smashed an unbeaten 223 off 133 balls, anchoring India's highest-ever successful ODI run chase of 406. In Tests, Gill has led India to six wins, three losses and two draws in 11 matches. Under his captaincy, India played out a hard-fought series draw (2-2) against England in 2025 and also secured a home series victory over the West Indies. His highest individual score as Test captain is 269, which he registered against England in the second Test last year. While speaking to ANI, Dhawan believes the young batter has handled the dual responsibility of captaincy and batting exceptionally well. "Yes, definitely. As you can see, in whichever series he has captained, he has led very well. Often when players take on captaincy, it impacts their batting, but he is handling it smoothly and delivering extraordinary batting performances continuously," former Indian speedster Rishi Dhawan told ANI. Dhawan feels Gill has already shown significant growth as a leader and will be well prepared to captain India at the 2027 World Cup. "I believe he has emerged very well as a captain. By 2027, he will certainly captain very well in the World Cup. Moreover, to support and guide him, Rohit bhai and Virat bhai are there, so I don't think there will be any problems at all," Rishi added. The former cricketer also backed the continued presence of Rohit and Kohli in India's ODI setup, saying their fitness, current performances and vast experience make them valuable assets ahead of the 2027 World Cup. "Yes, absolutely, they should go. Given their fitness levels and how they are performing for the Indian team right now--coupled with the sheer amount of service they have given to the team--their experience alone is immense. They should definitely play and help win the World Cup for us," he signed off. (ANI)
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