Mumbai: New Zealand's talismanic batter Kane Williamson defined Rohit Sharma as a "legend of the game" and expects Shubman Gill, the new ODI captain, to benefit from the presence of India's veteran swashbuckler in the upcoming tour of Australia.
Last week, Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar sent shockwaves through the cricket world after announcing that he had personally conveyed the management's decision to Rohit about making Gill his successor. The 26-year-old's captaincy stint in the ODIs will begin in Australia with a three-match series, scheduled to kick off on October 19 at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
Agarkar explained the rationale behind the sudden shift, considering the 2027 ODI World Cup is still two years away from commencing in South Africa. The chief selector explained that the surprise shift in the leadership stems from the selectors wanting Gill to have enough time to settle well before the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
While Williamson refrained from commenting on the reasons behind the decision, he remains confident that Rohit's presence has been immensely valuable for the next crop of players and has set a "great" example during his captaincy tenure. (ANI)
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