Shubman Gill Takes the Helm: India Prepares for Test Series in England
India's New Era Under Shubman Gill
New Delhi, June 15: Former cricketer Surinder Khanna is optimistic about India's prospects under Shubman Gill's captaincy as they gear up for a challenging Test series in England, starting June 20 at Headingley.
With the recent retirements of batting legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, India is entering a new phase. Gill has been appointed as the Test captain, with Rishabh Pant as his vice-captain.
In addition to the absence of Sharma and Kohli, India will also miss the experienced spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who stepped back during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
Facing a fearless England team that has adopted the aggressive 'Bazball' approach, there are concerns among fans and former players regarding India's ability to compete in the five-match series.
Surinder noted that while the team is relatively young, it includes promising players who can lead the charge. He highlighted Gill, Pant, and Jasprit Bumrah as key figures who have enough experience to guide the team to success.
“This is a youthful squad, but both Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill have been around for a while. Every journey begins somewhere. They possess talent and now bear the responsibility to meet the nation's expectations,” Surinder remarked.
“Gill has shown his leadership skills in limited-overs cricket, remaining composed under pressure. Although Pant has struggled with form, he excels in Test matches. Bumrah, one of the world's top new ball bowlers, adds invaluable experience. I anticipate a strong performance from them in England,” he added.
The Test series will unfold from June 20 to August 4, featuring matches at Headingley (Leeds), Edgbaston (Birmingham), Lord's and The Oval (London), and Old Trafford (Manchester).
India's Test squad for the England series includes: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, 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.
England's squad for the first Test against India features: Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Ben Stokes (capt), Josh Tongue, and Chris Woakes.