BCCI Announces, 25-Year-Old Shubman Gill is New India Test Captain and Rishabh Pant as Deputy

Shubman Gill Appointed New Captain of Indian Test Team; Rishabh Pant Named Deputy

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officially announced on Saturday, May 24th, that 25-year-old opening batsman Shubman Gill will take over as the captain of the Indian men's Test team. Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has been appointed as his vice-captain. This leadership change marks the beginning of a new era for Indian red-ball cricket following the recent Test retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

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New Leadership for England Test Series

Gill's appointment comes as India prepares for a crucial five-match Test series against England, scheduled to commence on June 20th at Headingley, Leeds. This series will be the first major assignment for the new leadership duo and will also mark the start of India's campaign in the new ICC World Test Championship cycle. The selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, reportedly views Gill as an ideal candidate to lead the team long-term, favoring him over other potential candidates, including former vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah, due to the desire for a captain consistently available across all matches of a series, which can be a challenge with fast bowlers' workload management.

Transition in Indian Cricket

The decision to entrust Gill with the captaincy and Pant with the vice-captaincy a clear generational shift within the Indian Test setup. Following the departure of experienced leaders Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the longest format earlier this month, the selectors have opted for younger leadership to guide the team forward. While Gill has captaincy experience in the IPL and for India in T20Is, this will be his first tenure leading the Test side. Rishabh Pant, known for his dynamic presence, will bring his experience to the vice-captaincy role.

Shubman Gill's elevation to Test captaincy, with Rishabh Pant as his deputy, is a critical moment for Indian cricket. As they prepare to lead a relatively young squad into the demanding England tour, all eyes will be on how this new leadership shapes the future of the Indian Test team in the post-Rohit/Kohli era.

Picture courtesy: Udayavani