Mohammed Shami Responds to Backlash Over Shubman Gill Replacing Rohit Sharma as ODI Captain: ‘Too Many Memes…’

Mohammed Shami responded to social media memes about the captaincy change, firmly backing BCCI’s decision to appoint Shubman Gill as ODI captain.

Mohammed Shami Backs Shubman Gill as India’s New ODI Captain

Veteran Indian paceman Mohammed Shami has expressed support for the BCCI’s decision to appoint Shubman Gill as the new ODI skipper, replacing Rohit Sharma. The board, along with selectors and team management, aims to build a team for the future, keeping the 2027 ODI World Cup in mind. Shubman, already India’s Test captain, was chosen to lead the 50-over side—a bold move given Rohit’s recent success, including winning the 2025 Champions Trophy and earning Player of the Match in the final against New Zealand.

The announcement sparked a wave of memes on social media, drawing criticism towards head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar. Addressing the backlash, Shami urged fans to respect the board’s decision, highlighting Gill’s leadership credentials.

“Bahut hi zyada memes ban rahe hai is sawal ko leke. (There have been a lot of memes on this question) I feel there should not be any objection. This is the decision of the BCCI, selectors and coaches. Shubman captained India in England, and he is the skipper of the Gujarat Titans as well. So, he has the experience. Someone had to be given this responsibility, and the BCCI chose Shubman Gill for that, so we should accept it,” Mohammed Shami said on his YouTube channel.

‘People should not raise questions over the captaincy’: Mohammed Shami

The veteran pacer called for calm amid debates over captaincy, stressing that leadership roles are never permanent in cricket and that such transitions are simply part of the game’s natural progression.

“People should not raise questions over the captaincy. This is not in our hands. Someone is the captain today, and there will be someone else tomorrow. This cycle will continue,” he added.

Meanwhile, Shami himself missed out on the Australia tour as he was left out of the ODI squad despite being part of the Champions Trophy-winning side. Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee went ahead with Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna as their pace bowling options for the three-match ODI series.

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