3 players who should be considered to captain India if Shubman Gill is ruled out of IND vs SA 2025 ODIs ft. KL Rahul 

The India men’s selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, faces a challenging task in finalizing the Men in Blue’s squad for the three-match ODI series against South Africa, scheduled to begin on November 30 in Ranchi.

Selecting a squad is always a tough job, but this time, the committee may also have to decide on a new captain. Reports suggest that regular skipper Shubman Gill is likely to miss the series due to a neck injury he sustained during India’s first innings of the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata. Gill faced just three balls before being forced to leave the field and did not participate further in the match.

He subsequently missed the ongoing second Test, with the BCCI confirming that the 26-year-old will travel to Mumbai for further assessment of his injury. Meanwhile, vice-captain Shreyas Iyer is also expected to miss the upcoming series after suffering a spleen laceration during the Sydney ODI against Australia last month, with reports suggesting he will be sidelined at least until the IPL 2026.

With both the captain and vice-captain likely ruled out, here are three players who should be considered to lead India if Shubman Gill is unavailable for the IND vs SA 2025 ODIs.

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#1 Rohit Sharma

The first player on the list is former skipper Rohit Sharma. The Mumbai batter was recently relieved of his captaincy ahead of India’s three-match ODI series against Australia last month, which India lost 2-1.

Given his experience leading the side and the strong bond he shares with his teammates, the management might consider Rohit to return as captain for this series, rather than appointing a new leader and potentially creating disruption.

Rohit captained India in 56 ODIs, winning 42 of them for an impressive 75% win rate before being relieved of his duties. His leadership experience and the trust he commands in the dressing room make him a strong candidate, especially as India looks to bounce back in ODIs following the series loss to Australia.

Rohit also comes into the series in excellent form. During the Australia ODIs, he scored 202 runs in three innings at an average of 101.00, including a fifty and a century, earning him the Player of the Series award. With confidence, momentum, and strong rapport with the team on his side, Rohit leading the Men in Blue for one more series could be the ideal choice.

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#2 KL Rahul

Another player the management could consider as captain if Shubman Gill misses out is wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul. The Karnataka batter has been brilliant for the Men in Blue in ODIs. The 33-year-old has appeared in 88 matches, scoring 3,092 runs at an average of 48.31 with a strike rate of 88.41, including 18 fifties and seven centuries.

In addition, Rahul has previous experience leading the side in limited-overs cricket. He has captained India in 12 ODIs, winning eight and losing four. His last stint as captain came during the three-match series against South Africa in December 2023, which the Men in Blue won 2-1. Given his seniority in the team and previous captaincy experience, Rahul is a strong contender to step in for Shubman Gill.

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#3 Axar Patel

The third and final player on the list is all-rounder Axar Patel. The 31-year-old has become a mainstay in India’s limited-overs setup, featuring in 71 ODIs, scoring 858 runs with three fifties, and taking 75 wickets.

Earlier this year, Axar was part of India’s leadership group when he was appointed vice-captain for the five-match T20I series against England, which Suryakumar Yadav’s side won 4-1. However, he was later replaced when Shubman Gill became the new vice-captain, starting from the 2025 Asia Cup.

Given Axar’s prior leadership experience, including his stints captaining Gujarat in domestic cricket and Delhi Capitals (DC) in the IPL, the management could consider the all-rounder to lead the Men in Blue if Shubman Gill is ruled out.