Shubman Gill is all set to begin his Test captaincy stint with the tour of England, set to begin from June 20 at Headingley. The five-match series will also mark the start of India’s WTC cycle.

Gill, 25, has been appointed as India’s new Test skipper following the retirement of Rohit Sharma last month.

Ahead of his maiden assignment, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly shared his thoughts on Gill’s new role and the challenges that lie ahead in English conditions.

Speaking to Revsportz, Ganguly expressed confidence in Gill's potential as a top-order batter but also emphasized the need for technical improvement.

"Wishing him all the best. I am sure he can work on his Test match batting. He is a top-order batsman," Ganguly told Revsportz.

The England tour will also mark the beginning of a new era in Test cricket, and Ganguly highlighted the same.

"There is no Kohli, no Rohit Sharma, no Ajinkya Rahane... it's absolutely amazing - how things change over a period is unbelievable."

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. He will be keen to improve his Test stats with the additional responsibility of captaincy.

Ganguly stressed the importance of Gill adapting his game accordingly. "These are not conditions where you just hit through the line. It's going to seam, swing, the new ball will be different. There can be a time when India is 10 for 2, and he has to come and play the new ball, so the application will be different," Ganguly said.

"Shubman needs to score a bit more runs in these conditions when it's seaming and swinging. It is going to be a bit difficult upfront with the new ball. Batting at 100 for 2 and 20 for 4 are two different things, so he has to get the defence right, learn how to leave deliveries outside the off stump," he remarked.

Ganguly also mentioned the need for a front-foot approach in English conditions, a contrast from back-foot play that might work in Australia or South Africa.

"England is a place where you need to be on the front foot quite a bit. It's not Australia or South Africa, where you can hang on the back foot and still play," he noted.

"In New Zealand and England, it's going to swing and seam, so you've got to be on the front foot and have a good defence. You've got to fight here, where first hour, post lunch, post tea would be different. So, you can't be 50-4 in the first two hours. You've got to be 50-1, then you are in a position to win the Test match, and I think that's where India needs to be," he said.

(With ANI Inputs)