IND vs ENG Tests | 'If he leads well in England, it will boost his confidence': Pujara on Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill

India's Test veteran Cheteshwar Pujara reckons it will be a challenging task for new skipper Shubman Gill to shoulder the captaincy responsibility in the upcoming five-Test series in England, starting at Leeds on June 20. The Ajit Agarkar-led National selection committee picked young Gill, 25, as the new Test skipper following a meeting held at the BCCI headquarter in Mumbai on Sunday.

"When you go abroad as a captain, whether you are young or mature, it will be challenging. To start off in England won't be easy for Shubman, but it's a great opportunity for a young player, who is going to lead the team. If he leads well in England, it will boost his confidence," Pujara said on Sunday in reply to a question by mid-day about the challenges Gill will face as skipper in English conditions.

Added motivation

However, Pujara, 37, who was part of the playing XI of the Ajinkya Rahane-led Indian team when Gill made his Test debut against Australia at Melbourne in 2020, felt the added responsibility will motivate Gill to do well.

Cheteshwar Pujara

Gill has represented the country in 32 Tests so far. "It [captaincy] will definitely motivate him to perform well. I don't know if it will bring out the best in him, because as a Test batter, even without the captaincy, he always wants to perform well for the team and always wants to do his best. I believe there is a lot of responsibility on him as a batter also [besides captaincy], so I hope he's looking forward to this opportunity. I'm sure with the kind of talent he has, he will be a successful player in England," added Pujara during a select media interaction organised by Sony Sports network, the official broadcaster of India's tour of England.

Interestingly, Pujara, a 103-Test veteran middle-order batter, still harbours ambitions to play for the country. "I won't mind if I get an opportunity, but at this stage, I'm someone who likes to be in the present. I enjoy my cricket. So as long as I'm enjoying my cricket, I'll carry on playing cricket. I practice, I do my fitness work, and the career so far has been fantastic. So I don't have any regrets.

‘I'm enjoying my cricket'

"Whatever happens next, is something I can't control. I'll enjoy the game as long as I keep on playing, whether it's at the domestic level, club-level, or county cricket," concluded Pujara, who represented the country last at the Oval Test against Australia in June 2023.