It was a familiar scene but with a new twist for Indian cricket stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The duo returned to the Indian ODI squad only this time, the team is under the fresh leadership of Shubman Gill. As both senior players rejoined the national setup, fans witnessed a heartwarming moment that quickly went viral.
In a video shared by the BCCI on its official X handle, Rohit Sharma was seen bowing respectfully to Virat Kohli, who was seated in the front row of the team bus, before entering. Just moments earlier, Rohit was caught off guard by India’s new ODI captain Shubman Gill, who approached him from behind, placed an arm around his shoulder, and greeted him warmly in their first meeting since the captaincy transition.
Gill Meets Rohit For First Time Post Transition
A smiling Rohit, pleasantly surprised, responded, “Areyy, Gill! Kaisa hai bhai?” (“How are you, brother?”) before embracing the young captain. The video then shifted to show Rohit and Kohli’s reunion inside the bus their first since the Champions Trophy final. The camaraderie between the long-time teammates was evident, while Gill went on to greet his first international captain, Virat Kohli. Watching the exchange closely was Shreyas Iyer, seated beside Kohli.
This series marks a new chapter in Indian cricket. For the first time since MS Dhoni stepped down as captain in 2017, both Rohit and Kohli will play under a new skipper. Interestingly, Gill made his international debut under Kohli’s captaincy in New Zealand and later played much of his career under Rohit’s guidance. Now, at just 26, he leads both of them in what could be the biggest leadership test of his young career the ODI series against Australia.
Of familiar faces and special reunions as #TeamIndia depart for the Australia challenge #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/ElV3OtV3Lj
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 15, 2025
Significance
The upcoming series holds special significance for Shreyas Iyer too, who has been appointed India’s ODI vice-captain for the first time. Alongside him, young talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Dhruv Jurel, Arshdeep Singh, and Prasidh Krishna were seen at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport before the team’s departure. Fans gathered outside the terminal, eager to catch a glimpse of their cricketing heroes, with a few lucky ones even managing to get autographs from Rohit and Kohli.
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir and his support staff are set to join the team later in the evening. The ODI series begins in Perth on Sunday, followed by games in Adelaide and Sydney.
Beyond the cricketing rivalry, this series will be watched closely for the dynamics it reveals between India’s senior pros and their young captain. For fans, the sight of Rohit bowing to Kohli and sharing a warm moment with Gill encapsulated the spirit of transition a blend of respect, camaraderie, and the dawn of a new era in Indian cricket.