Shubman Gill Appointed as India's New Test Captain Ahead of England Tour
Ricky Ponting Endorses Shubman Gill's Captaincy
Ricky Ponting, the former captain of Australia, has expressed his approval of Shubman Gill being appointed as the captain of India's red-ball team. He believes this decision is a 'right move' considering Gill's impressive performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the Gujarat Titans.
Gill is set to lead a revamped Indian squad during a five-match tour of England starting June 20. This series marks the beginning of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle for India and will be their first series following the retirements of prominent players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Rishabh Pant will serve as Gill's vice-captain, while Jasprit Bumrah, a strong candidate for the captaincy, was unable to take on the role due to injury and workload concerns.
Ponting was not surprised by the decision to appoint Gill over more experienced players like Bumrah or Pant, as he believes the 25-year-old is well-suited for the Test captaincy.
"I genuinely think it is the right decision," Ponting stated during an interview with The ICC Review. "Many pundits are questioning why Bumrah wasn't chosen, but the reasoning is straightforward."
"Bumrah's injury issues in recent years are a concern, and having a captain who frequently misses games is not ideal. Therefore, I believe this is the correct choice," he added.
"Now that the decision has been made, it is crucial to support Gill and allow him ample time to establish himself in this role. Observing how he has managed the Gujarat Titans during the IPL, it's clear that leadership suits him well."
"For a captain who is also a batter, scoring runs is essential. Shubman is currently excelling in the IPL, making this an opportune moment for his captaincy," he concluded.
Gill led the Gujarat Titans to the playoffs, amassing 650 runs with six fifties at a strike rate exceeding 155. However, his Test performance has faced scrutiny, with 1,893 runs in 32 Tests at an average of 35.05, including five centuries and seven fifties across 59 innings. Since his remarkable 91 at the Gabba in 2021, Gill has struggled to reach 40 runs in SENA conditions, totaling 255 runs in 15 innings at an average of 17.00.
Ponting believes that positioning Gill at number four could help him thrive by shielding him from the new ball.
"I anticipate that Sai Sudarshan and Yashasvi Jaiswal will open the batting in England, as Sudarshan appears to be a technically sound player capable of succeeding at the Test level," Ponting remarked.
"With two young openers, they might consider a more experienced player at No.3. Whether that is KL Rahul or Karun Nair, Shubman could be positioned at No.4, which might ease his responsibilities as a young captain. Their top five could likely consist of Sudarshan, Jaiswal, KL, Gill, and Karun Nair for the England series," he concluded.
As a number three batsman, Gill has scored 1,019 runs in 17 Tests at an average of 37.74, with three centuries and three fifties in 30 innings.
The series is scheduled from June to August 2025, with matches taking place at Headingley in Leeds, Edgbaston in Birmingham, Lord's and The Oval in London, and Old Trafford in Manchester.
India's Test squad for the England series: 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, Kuldeep Yadav.