Shubman Gill to Captain India Against New Zealand on Sunday

Despite not feeling a full 100%, Shubman Gill is about to take on a new challenge—captaining India in ODIs for the first time. With Rohit Sharma dealing with a hamstring injury, we think Gill stepping up as skipper against New Zealand in the Champions Trophy will be a big moment. India has already locked in a semifinal spot, but that doesn’t mean this game doesn’t matter. Keeping the momentum going is key, and you can expect a strong lineup despite the possible changes.

Will Rohit Sharma Be Rested?

If you weren’t sure already, Rohit’s injury happened while fielding against Pakistan on February 23. He pushed through but didn’t look comfortable. He even skipped batting in training on Wednesday, instead discussing things with head coach Gautam Gambhir and going through some light jogging. With just one day to recover before the semifinal on March 4, India might decide to rest him.

That means Gill takes charge, and if you’ve been watching, you know he’s been in top form. He already has 147 runs in the tournament, including a century against Bangladesh and 46 against Pakistan. But who will open with him? KL Rahul seems like the safest bet since he started his career as an opener, but don’t rule out Rishabh Pant, who’s done it before in white-ball cricket. Even Washington Sundar could be an option.

Who Will Open for India?

So why doesn’t India have a backup opener, it’s because they swapped Yashasvi Jaiswal for an extra bowler. Moving Rahul up makes sense—he’s scored 915 runs as an opener at an average of 43.57, with three centuries and six fifties. Plus, if he moves up, Pant can slide into the number five spot, which could turn out to be a blessing for India heading into the knockouts.

Other than that, don’t expect much to change. Virat Kohli has been rock solid with 122 runs, and Shreyas Iyer has chipped in with 71. Axar Patel has been valuable with both bat and ball, and Hardik Pandya has handled the third seamer role well. Jadeja, as always, brings balance to the team. And let’s talk about the bowlers—Mohammed Shami already has five wickets, Harshit Rana has taken four, and Kuldeep Yadav grabbed three in the last game.

One thing to watch: Will Harshit Rana or Arshdeep Singh get the nod? Rana has been impressive with four wickets in two games, so we think he’s got the edge. No matter what, India looks like a well-set unit heading into this clash, and if Rohit sits out, it’s a golden chance for Gill to prove himself as captain.

India has already secured a seat in the semi-finals, however the match against New Zealand will decide who finishes first in the group and will theoretically see the most favorable opponent in it.