Adelaide: Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has strongly refuted the long-held myth that a player, having lost the captaincy, would intentionally underperform to undermine their successor. His comments come as young Shubman Gill prepares to captain India in a three-match ODI series against Australia, with veteran former captains Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in his squad.
Speaking on the eve of the series, Gavaskar addressed the circulating misconceptions among fans and pundits. "A significant misconception among Indian cricket fans is that if a player is replaced as captain, he will attempt to undermine the new captain by not performing to the best of his ability," Gavaskar stated.
He quickly dismantled this theory, emphasizing a simple but crucial fact of professional sports. "Nothing can be further from the truth, for the simple fact is that if a captain has been replaced and then doesn’t perform, he could be out of the team altogether. So, no player, however aggrieved he may feel at losing the captaincy, is ever going to underperform deliberately".
The context for Gavaskar's remarks is the spotlight on Gill's leadership and how he will manage the dynamic with two of the most influential figures in Indian cricket history. Both Sharma and Kohli recently retired from Test cricket in 2025 to focus on the shorter formats, with Gill succeeding Sharma as the Test captain as well.
Gavaskar highlighted the benefits Gill stands to gain from having such experienced players in his team. "Many are questioning if young Shubman Gill will be able to handle two former captains, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Gill has gone out of his way to say that his equation with them hasn’t changed simply because he is the captain now. If anything, he will only benefit by having these two stalwarts by his side," he said.
He further suggested that Sharma and Kohli would be valuable resources for the new skipper. "Both would be happy to offer suggestions if asked, and what could be better for a captain leading in this format for the first time than to have two of the greatest ODI players playing in his team?".
The veteran batsman's remarks aim to quell speculation and foster a positive atmosphere as the team transitions under Gill's leadership. The three-match ODI series against Australia begins today, with all eyes on how the team's dynamics play out on the field.
