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Shubman Gill replaces Rohit Sharma as India's 37th Test captain ahead of the England series, marking a new era in Indian cricket leadership.
A new era in Indian Test cricket officially began on Saturday as Shubman Gill was named the 37th captain of the national Test team. The stylish right-hander will lead India in the upcoming five-match Test series in England, with wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant named as his deputy. The decision comes after captain Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Test cricket, and Virat Kohli stepped away from the format, marking a significant generational shift in the team’s leadership.
The selection of Gill, long seen as a future captain, was described as a forward-looking decision by chief selector Ajit Agarkar.
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"You don't pick captains for 1-2 tours. You want to invest in something that is going to help us going forward," Agarkar said during the squad announcement. “We have seen some progress in him over the last 2 years. There is no doubt, it is going to be tough doing a 5-match series in England. Maybe we will have to learn on the job a little, but we are very confident and that is the reason we are picking him."
The appointment has been met with widespread celebration on social media, where fans hailed Gill’s elevation as the start of an exciting new chapter for Indian cricket. Many lauded his calm temperament and maturity, which have been evident across formats in recent years.
Netizens Rejoice Over Start Of Shubman Gill Era
Also making headlines was the inclusion of young left-hander B Sai Sudharsan, who earned his maiden Test call-up after a string of impressive domestic performances. The squad also features a surprise return for Karun Nair, who re-enters the Test fold after a gap of seven years.
However, the absence of senior pacer Mohammed Shami stood out. Agarkar clarified that fitness concerns had ruled him out of contention.
"His workload is not where it needs to be. We were hoping he will be available but it is unfortunate. At the moment he is not fully fit," he explained.
The selectors have also omitted Harshit Rana and Sarfaraz Khan, both of whom were part of the squad for the recent tour of Australia.
India's Squad For England Tour
Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, K L Rahul, B 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.
With a mix of youth and experience, and a new leader at the helm, India will look to embrace the challenge of the English summer and begin a new chapter in their red-ball journey.
