The selection of opening batsman Shubman Gill as the team’s vice-captain for the Champions Trophy 2025, according to former Team India cricketer Suresh Raina, is a testament to Gill’s leadership abilities.

Last year, during the white-ball series against Sri Lanka, Shubman Gill was the vice-captain of Team India. He kept his spot for the Champions Trophy 2025 and the ODIs against England. The 25-year-old has shown enough abilities to be named Rohit Sharma’s successor, according to chief selector Ajit Agarkar.

“Of course. Shubman Gill is, in my opinion, India’s next big star. In the one-day side, he has performed really well. A young player’s potential is shown when you offer him a great chance, such as selecting him to be the vice captain for the ICC Champions Trophy.

“It is obvious that Rohit Sharma is aware of the future leader. Given how he guided the Gujarat side in the IPL, Shubman Gill is among the greatest captains we have ever seen. This judgment is justified by his performance over the last 12 to 16 months. That’s why Rohit will begin with him; both Rohit Sharma and the selectors made a wise decision.

“Like Virat Kohli, Rohit has seen Gill’s leadership style. Gill has an outstanding work ethic on the field. He is well-aware of the game, leads from the front, and knows the squad. On the Star Sports press room broadcast, Raina said, “The selectors and Rohit made a very wise decision.”

Speaking on Suryakumar Yadav’s exclusion from the Champions Trophy 2025 squad, Suresh Raina said that the team will be missing the X-factor.

Suryakumar has solidified his spot in the T20I squad, but he hasn’t been able to replicate that performance in the ODIs. He played Australia in the ODI World Cup 2023, which was his last outing in the 50-over format.

“I was taken aback when the squad was revealed yesterday. Not mentioned was Suryakumar Yadav, who caused quite a stir at the 2024 World Cup. There’s a reason he’s known as “360” in white-ball cricket. He can pursue at a run rate of nine, play sweeps, and alter the course of the match in the middle overs. Surya ought to have been on the team, in my opinion.

You need a guy who can dominate the opponent in the middle overs. Surya’s batting approach is suited to the different ground dimensions in Dubai, which are larger on the cover and smaller at the front and point. The middle order X-factor wouldn’t be absent if he were there.

“The top three, whose performance hasn’t been fantastic, will bear greater responsibility in his absence. A major emphasis shifts to the middle order; will KL Rahul play there? Will Rishabh Pant advance in the game? Will a left-right combination be used? Will the order be batted up by Axar Patel? Suresh Raina came to the conclusion that Suryakumar could have batted wherever if he had been there.