Top-order batter Shubman appointed India’s skipper for upcoming five-match Test series in England while wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant named deputy; chief selector Ajit Agarkar feels it’s right time to invest in youth
Shubman Gill. Pics/Getty Images
In the absence of Test veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, India will begin their new WTC cycle under the leadership of young top-order batter Shubman Gill. Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, 27, will be Gill’s deputy for the five-Test series against England which begins with the Leeds Test on June 20.
Gill, 25, who has 32 Tests under his belt, becomes India’s fifth-youngest skipper in the longest format after Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi (21), Sachin Tendulkar (23), Kapil Dev (24) and Ravi Shastri (25). National chief selector Ajit Agarkar, who addressed the media after the selection committee meeting at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Saturday, also hinted that Gill is being seen as India’s long-term captain in Tests.
Rishabh Pant
“Obviously, you discuss every option that’s there. Over the last year or so, we have looked at Shubman at various times, even when we played England last year. You take a lot of feedback from the dressing room as well,” Agarkar said in response to a query by Sunday mid-day on whether the committee discussed other captaincy options. However, Agarkar admitted that it’s a high-pressure job, considering Gill’s age, as he has experience of three Tests in English conditions (88 runs at an average of 14.66).
“Obviously, he’s [Gill] very young. We’ve seen the improvement. I know it’s T20 cricket for GT [Gujarat Titans], but we take feedback from a lot of people, and we’re hopeful that he’s the guy who can... it’s obviously going to be, like it always is, a high-pressure job. But we’re hopeful we’ve picked the right guy. He’s a terrific player and our best wishes are with him. We want to invest in something that’s going to help us going forward,” said Agarkar.
Bumrah may miss few Tests
Pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who has previously led the country in three Tests, was the other strong contender for the role, but was ruled out due to workload management. Agarkar also revealed that Bumrah won’t be available for all five Tests in England.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar addresses the media at the BCCI headquarters on Saturday. Pic/Atul Kamble
“I don’t think he’s available for all five Tests. That’s what the physios and the doctors have told us. Whether it’s four or three [Tests], we’ll see how the series goes and how his body can take the workload. Needless to say how important he is. Whether he is fit for three or four Tests, he is going to win us a few Test matches. We’re just glad he’s fit again after the setback in Australia. He’s back playing. I know it’s T20 cricket at the moment, but we’ve seen what he’s doing in the IPL. We’re just happy he is part of the squad,” Agarkar explained. Bumrah, who played a key role in taking Mumbai Indians to the Playoffs, has claimed 16 scalps from nine games in the ongoing IPL.
Pant, who has represented India in 43 Tests, has been named Gill’s deputy. When asked why Pant was chosen as vice-captain, Agarkar said: “Pant is one of our better batters over the last couple of years. He will help Gill with all his experience. At the moment, these two [Gill and Pant] are the guys we feel will take the team forward.”
Agarkar also revealed that Kohli, who has been India’s No. 4 batter for a long time, approached him last month before announcing his Test retirement. “It’s always difficult. One way of looking at it is that it’s an opportunity for someone else. They [Kohli and Rohit] have left a legacy behind. I’ve had conversations with both over the last couple of months. Virat reached out in early April and said he wants to [quit],” Agarkar said. In Kohli’s absence, newcomers like B Sai Sudharsan, KL Rahul or Karun Nair, who is making a national comeback after eight years, may bat at the crucial No. 4 position.
Shreyas, Sarfaraz not picked
Mumbai’s Sarfaraz Khan, who was part of India’s Test squads in the last two series — against New Zealand (at home) and Australia (away) — failed to impress the selectors. Another Mumbai batter Shreyas Iyer, who scored 480 runs in five Ranji Trophy games last season (2024-25), including two centuries, also missed out on the England tour. However, pace-bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur was rewarded for his performance in the same 2024-25 Ranji season, where he scored 505 runs and claimed 35 wickets in nine games.
India’s squad
Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vc & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
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