It was Ajit Agarkar’s call to have Shubman Gill as ODI captain: Sanjay Bangar

Former Indian batting coach Sanjay Bangar has asserted that it was not Gautam Gambhir’s call, but Ajit Agarkar’s call to make Shubman Gill the new ODI captain, replacing Rohit Sharma ahead of the Australian tour, Down Under.

Speaking exclusively on Jio Hotstar, Bangar said Gill has at least five to six years of international cricket left in him, and the coach has to adjust to the team and not the other way around, adding that it was the selectors’ call to have Gill on board as the ODI captain.

"As far as I know, it cannot be the coach's call. The coach has to work with the team he has got. It's not about the coach's comfort. The coach has to adjust to the team. It's not the other way round. That's how it happens in cricket. You have a highly capable batter in Shubman Gill. He has age on his side and has experience of 5-6 years in international cricket. I think it is the selectors who have taken the call," Bangar said on Jio Hotstar.

On the other hand, Parthiv Patel, the former keeper-batter, who was also part of the conversation, also stated that it’s not going to be easy for the coaches to work along with the captains, who may have different philosophies. He also backed Gambhir’s decision to have only two captains and not three across formats. 

"It's an absolutely fair call. Coach Gautam Gambhir also mentioned in his interview that people need to think about me, too. We have been thinking that the team is of the captain, but the way coaches work these days, the effort that goes behind the scenes," Parthiv Patel said.

"It's not easy for them to work with captains, who may have different philosophies, especially if they are not even travelling together. Shubman Gill is one player who travels with the team in all formats. It is not easy to plan and keep communicating. I'm with Gautam Gambhir at this time when he said he needed only two captains and not three," he concluded.

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