The end of the Rohit Sharma era as India’s ODI captain came last Sunday when the BCCI selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, named Shubman Gill as the new captain. The move surprised many, as Rohit had done nothing wrong in his role as skipper. The BCCI, however, had its own rationale behind the decision, focusing on preparing Gill for the 2027 World Cup. While Rohit’s removal sent shockwaves through social media, a post from 13 years ago resurfaced and quickly went viral.

“End of an era (45) and the start of a new one (77)…” Rohit Posted.

Cricket fans quickly noticed an interesting connection between Rohit Sharma’s previous jersey number 45 and Shubman Gill’s number 77. The synchronicity sparked social media speculation, with many wondering if Rohit had predicted the 2025 captaincy transition more than a decade ago.

In reality, the post’s meaning was simple: it symbolised Rohit’s personal transition from number 45 to 77.

Gill has officially taken on the leadership role in two formats. He was given the Test captaincy after Rohit stepped down from the format in May. In his first assignment, he led India in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England, where the team returned with a 2-2 draw.

Gill will begin his role as ODI captain in Australia, with the first match scheduled for October 19 in Perth. Finch is among those eager to see how Gill performs in his first series as captain. He thinks having experienced players like Rohit and Kohli by his side could be a great advantage for Gill.

Gill, after being appointed ODI captain, has set his goal on winning the World Cup. India are expected to play around 20 ODIs leading up to the event, and Gill hopes to lift the prestigious trophy in South Africa.