India has entered a significant new chapter in its Test cricket history, appointing Shubman Gill as captain, taking over from the recently retired Rohit Sharma. Sharma stepped back from red-ball cricket following a disappointing outing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year, and he joins Virat Kohli, who has also retired from the format.
Jasprit Bumrah, the former vice-captain under Sharma, captained during his absence but has been overlooked for the permanent captaincy due to concerns about his potential to miss matches for workload management. Reports indicate that the decision to not appoint Bumrah was primarily influenced by these workload considerations.
Shubman Gill, who has led the Indian side in T20s but never in ODIs or Tests, finds himself assuming this pivotal role at just 25 years old. His elevation to captaincy reflects a remarkable turnaround in his career, especially considering he was not selected for the Boxing Day Test against Australia last year. Although he struggled with injuries and form during that series, he is now seen as a future star of Indian cricket since making his debut in 2020.
Gill’s Test batting average stands at 35.05. Rishabh Pant has been named vice-captain, positioning him as Gill’s primary support. India is now gearing up for a five-Test series against England, which is set to begin on June 20, marking an exciting time for both the team and its new leader.