Gill’s Captaincy Debut : Team India is set to enter a new chapter in its red-ball journey, and at the heart of this transformation stands 25-year-old Shubman Gill, who will be leading the Test team for the first time in the high-stakes series against England, starting June 20 at Headingley. With senior pros like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli stepping away from the longest format, the responsibility now shifts to a younger core — and Gill is at the forefront of it.
Veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara, who has seen many transitions in Indian Test cricket, believes the England series presents an ideal chance for Gill to find his footing as a leader. Speaking ahead of the tour, Pujara highlighted the dual nature of the challenge: the burden of captaincy and the challenge of performing in English conditions.
“Leading a side abroad is never easy, especially when you’re starting out as a captain. England is a tough place to begin, but if Gill can guide the team well here, it’ll give him tremendous belief going forward,” said Pujara during a media interaction.
Gill’s elevation to captaincy comes at a time when India’s red-ball form has been inconsistent. The team suffered a home whitewash against New Zealand and lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia, breaking a decade-long unbeaten streak. Now, with a largely inexperienced squad and new leadership, the road ahead isn’t going to be smooth.
Interestingly, Pujara also offered insight into why Gill was chosen ahead of seasoned pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who has led the side before in overseas Tests.
“It seems Bumrah might not be available for all five Tests, which is possibly why the selectors have gone with Shubman. It’s a smart decision in terms of planning for the future,” he added.
Beyond tactics and leadership, Gill also carries the weight of expectations with the bat. As a top-order player, his form will be crucial if India hopes to put runs on the board against England’s potent bowling attack. Pujara backed the youngster to handle the responsibility, but warned of the mental discipline required to balance dual roles.
“Captaincy can sometimes cloud your primary role as a batter. It’s important that Gill compartmentalizes his thinking—when he’s out in the middle, he must focus purely on his batting. From what I’ve seen, he has the maturity and the drive to do that,” said Pujara.
India’s squad for the tour is a mix of promise and experience. While young names dominate the list, familiar figures like KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and Bumrah are expected to form the core leadership group around Gill. This support system will be key as the team navigates testing English conditions across five matches.
As the countdown to the series begins, the narrative around India’s Test team is one of hope and uncertainty. For Shubman Gill, though, it’s an opportunity to script a fresh legacy — one that could define his career and shape the future of Indian cricket.
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