Former India player Aakash Chopra has added that Shubman Gill has been appointed the India Test captain for the upcoming Test series against England based on potential. He also shared that Gill doesn’t have great numbers in Test cricket thus far. However, the selectors recently picked an 18-member squad for the five-match Test series vs England, starting in Leeds on June 20. While Gill has been named the captain, Rishabh Pant has been appointed his deputy.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra’, he said, “The biggest thing is Shubman Gill, the captain. This job has been done with great hope. Belief is also there, but there is a lot of hope, because we haven’t seen those Test numbers thus far. He has an overall average of 35 and an average of 25 outside Asia,” he said.
“These are not great numbers, but when you look at Shubman Gill, you feel he is the guy who can secure our future. He has played only three matches in England, and that too across three years. So he hasn’t played a lot of cricket there. However, now he will go as the captain and will try to write a new story,” he shared.
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However, Aakash Chopra also shared that Jasprit Bumrah wasn’t considered for captaincy due to his fitness issues and the uncertainties over his availability for all five Tests as well.
“If you are wondering why Bumrah wasn’t made the captain, it’s because there are doubts about his availability. He is a fast bowler, and he has clearly told the selection committee that he won’t play all the matches. Why has Rishabh Pant been made the vice-captain? Interestingly, despite him missing a lot of cricket due to his accident, he has scored the most runs in the last five years. He is the only wicketkeeper-batter in India’s Test history to score centuries in England, Australia and South Africa,” Chopra said.
“The Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT 2024-25) was ordinary, but if you see the series against New Zealand or Bangladesh, you would say that he has scored runs. So, let’s not mix the formats. He should be looked at differently for Test cricket,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
