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Shubman Gill was appointed as India’s next Test captain on Saturday, May 24, becoming the 37th player to be given the honour of leading the country in the red-ball format. His first assignment begins next month when India travel to England to play a five-match Test series against the Three Lions.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced an 18-man squad led by Shubman, with wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant named as his deputy. The Punjab batter became the fifth youngest to lead the Indian team in the longest format of the game, replacing Rohit Sharma in the prestigious role.
After his appointment, former India speedster Yograj Singh congratulated the right-handed batter and said that the credit for his exemplary performances goes to his father and the legendary Yuvraj Singh.
“The credit for Shubman Gill’s performance goes to his father and Yuvraj Singh. If Shubman Gill has become the captain today and will stay for a long time, Yuvraj Singh’s guidance will play and has played an essential role in that,” Yograj was quoted as saying by India Today.
Shubman has trained under the supervision of his father from a young age and is described by many as the next batting superstar of the nation. He has also trained with Yuvraj along with many other talented Punjab cricketers during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.
The Fazilka-born has played 32 Tests, scoring 1,893 runs at an average of 35.06. Some fans and experts have questioned his performances as a batter in the red-ball format. His average alarmingly drops below 20.00 in key overseas conditions – England and South Africa.
Shubman will have to lead from the front in the United Kingdom as India head into the series with an inexperienced side. Ravichandran Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli have retired recently, while Mohammed Shami hasn’t been picked due to concerns regarding his fitness. It will be interesting to see where Shubman bats in the series. He has been batting at No. 3 in recent times, but with Kohli stepping away from red-ball cricket, he could move down further to the iconic No. 4 position.
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