Shubman Gill has been handed the Test captaincy as India embark on a new World Test Championship cycle with the England tour, starting on June 20 in Leeds.
India’s Test captaincy post was vacant after Rohit Sharma’s sudden retirement from the longest format earlier this month.
Even though Jasprit Bumrah had led India in a couple of Test matches in Rohit’s absence during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25, the selectors put their faith on Gill for the leadership role. Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was named the vice-captain.
Meanwhile, batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has urged the stakeholders of Indian cricket, including fans, to be patient with the new Test captain named on Saturday (May 24).
"Definitely, yes. Nobody is an instant success. You have to give youngsters enough opportunities to succeed. After giving them four or five matches in a row, you can then decide whether they are good enough or not. Likewise with captains - you can't judge them on one series. You have to give them a whole season leading India, and only then look at how they've coped with the responsibility," Gavaskar told India Today.
Since making his Test debut in 2020, Shubman Gill has played 32 matches, scoring 1893 runs at an average of 35.05. However, his numbers aren’t quite impressive in overseas conditions.
So far, Gill has amassed 559 runs in 13 Tests across SENA countries and the West Indies, averaging just 25 with only two half-centuries in 24 innings.
Gavaskar, however, is confident that the additional responsibility of captaincy will improve Gill’s Test stats.
"It's a good selection because we're looking to the future. Yes, you might argue that he has only played 30-odd Tests, but several Indian captains had even fewer matches under their belts before being handed the reins - and many went on to enjoy long tenures.
"When you look at Shubman Gill as a cricketer, you see the seriousness with which he approaches the game. He holds this format very close to his heart. So, there is every reason to believe he could become one of India's most successful Test captains.
"This is the start of a new cycle. Giving the captaincy to a young man could serve India well, not just for this cycle but potentially the next two as well.
"Captaincy or not, those first couple of Tests won't be easy. It'll be chilly and breezy - not ideal batting conditions.
"But Gill has the talent. He'll be the first to admit he hasn't converted his starts - those 30s and 40s - into big scores, especially overseas. That's something he can address. I believe that with the added responsibility of captaincy, he'll be better for it.
"Sometimes, when you're captain and also a batter, you naturally cut out a few risky shots - which can work in your favour."
After the series opener in Leeds, India and England will move to Lord’s (June 28) for the second Test, followed by matches at Trent Bridge (July 6), The Oval (July 14), and Old Trafford (July 24).
India Squad for England Tests: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
