Shubman Gill named India’s new Test captain

Shubman Gill has been appointed captain of the Indian Test team, with Rishabh Pant named vice-captain, ahead of the upcoming five-match series in England. The announcement, made on Saturday, follows the retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, marking a generational shift in Indian cricket.

The selectors’ decision to hand the reins to 24-year-old Gill comes as little surprise, with the young opener long seen as a natural successor in the leadership pipeline.

“We’ve had our eyes on Shubman’s leadership potential for the past year or so,” said chief selector Ajit Agarkar. “It’s a high-pressure role, but he’s a terrific player and we’re hopeful he’s the one to take the team forward. We wish him all the best.”

The squad for the England tour also includes a few fresh faces and some unexpected omissions. Among the new names is 22-year-old left-hander B Sai Sudharsan, who has earned his maiden Test call-up after consistent domestic performances. Meanwhile, middle-order batter Karun Nair makes a return to the national setup after a gap of seven years.

One of the most notable absentees is veteran fast bowler Mohammed Shami, who was not considered fit enough for the demanding tour. “His workload isn’t where it needs to be,” Agarkar said. “We were hoping he’d be available, but unfortunately, he isn’t fully fit at the moment.”

Also Read: What caused Kohli to throw in the towel on his Test career?

From the previous tour of Australia, pacer Harshit Rana and middle-order batter Sarfaraz Khan have been left out.

India’s Test Squad for England:

Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, B Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav.

(With inputs from PTI)