Here's why Gill was picked as Test captain, chief selector explains

Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officially announced Shubman Gill as the new Test captain for the Indian men's cricket team on Saturday, ahead of the highly anticipated five-match Test series against England, scheduled from June 20 to August 4. 

During a press conference held in Mumbai, chief selector Ajit Agarkar provided insights into the decision to appoint the 26-year-old Punjab-born batsman as the successor to Rohit Sharma, who retired from Test cricket earlier this month.

Agarkar emphasised that the selection committee's decision to hand the captaincy to Gill was rooted in a long-term vision for Indian cricket. 

"You don’t pick captains for one or two tours. You want to invest in something that is going to help us going forward," Agarkar stated. 

He highlighted Gill’s progress over the past two years, noting, "We have seen some progress in him over the last two years. There is no doubt, it is going to be tough doing a five-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."

Gill’s elevation to the Test captaincy comes following the Test retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. 

The duo’s departure left significant gaps in both the batting lineup and leadership, prompting the selection committee to deliberate on the best candidate to steer the team into a new era. 

While Jasprit Bumrah, who served as vice-captain and led India to a solitary win in Australia during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, was a strong contender, the selectors ultimately leaned toward Gill for his potential as a three-format player and his prior leadership experience.

Gill’s captaincy credentials have been steadily building over the past year. He was appointed captain of the Gujarat Titans (GT) for the IPL 2024 season, marking his first leadership stint in the Indian Premier League. 

Additionally, in July 2024, Agarkar had named Gill as the vice-captain for India’s white-ball teams during the Sri Lanka tour, a move aimed at grooming him for future leadership roles. 

Reflecting on that decision, Agarkar had previously stated, "Shubman is a guy we feel is a three-format player, firstly. So we want him to get some experience and build going forward."

However, Gill’s appointment has not been without scrutiny. Despite his undeniable talent as a batsman, his Test record has been inconsistent, with his place in the team often under question. 

Agarkar acknowledged the challenges ahead, particularly given the demanding nature of a five-match Test series in England, a country known for its testing conditions for visiting teams. 

India’s last Test series in England in 2021 ended in a 2-2 draw, and the upcoming tour will be a significant test of Gill’s leadership and batting prowess. 

"There is no doubt, it is going to be tough," Agarkar admitted. "But we believe Shubman has the attributes to grow into a long-term leader."

While Gill is India's new Test captain, Rishabh Pant was named his deputy, starting with the five-match series in England.

The selectors decision on the team's leadership was on expected lines following the retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Young left-hander B Sai Sudharsan earned his maiden Test call-up.

The squad also features Karun Nair, who returns to the national set up up after seven years. A notable exclusion was pacer Mohammed Shami, who was deemed not fit enough for the long series.

Squad: Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Yashasvi Jaiswal, K L Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun nair, Nitish Redddy, Ravindra Kadeja, Dhurv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep singh and Kuldeep Yadav.