Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's sudden decision to step down from Test cricket has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world. Fans believe both players have significantly contributed to Test cricket and could have continued for a few more years before retiring.
On Saturday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officially announced Shubman Gill as the new Test captain of the Indian cricket team. Marking the beginning of a new era in red-ball cricket, Gill was selected as team leader by the selection committee headed by Ajit Agarkar. Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant has been named vice-captain for the Test format.
"Pant is one of our best batters in Test cricket over the last four to five years. A wicketkeeper sees the game from a unique vantage point, and that's why he will serve as Shubman's deputy," Agarkar explained, referring to the 27-year-old.
Shubman Gill will lead an 18-man squad for India's tour of England, which begins on June 20.
The 25-year-old opener, known for his calm demeanour and elegant stroke play, has been a consistent performer in the longest format, scoring over 1,800 runs in 32 Tests.
Gill's first assignment as Test captain will be a tough one, as it marks the first series without India's two Test legends, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
Shubman is currently captaining in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he leads the Gujarat Titans. Under his leadership, the team has impressed this season and currently holds a top position on the points table.
India's upcoming five-match Test series against England, part of the 2025–2027 ICC World Test Championship, will be held from June to August 2025. The matches will take place at Headingley (Leeds), Edgbaston (Birmingham), Lord's (London), Old Trafford (Manchester), and The Oval (London).
Meanwhile, not all fans are pleased with Gill's appointment. Many netizens feel that KL Rahul or Jasprit Bumrah would have been better choices for the captaincy.
India's Squad for Test tour of England:
Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, K L Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun nair, Nitish Redddy, Ravindra Kadeja, Dhurv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep singh and Kuldeep Yadav.
Related
