Rohit Sharma has stopped playing Test cricket, and now Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant are the top choices to become the new captain.
The BCCI is likely to announce India’s new Test captain and the team for the England tour on Saturday, May 24. The announcement may happen around noon after the selection committee meets. A press conference is also expected.
India needs a new Test captain because Rohit Sharma retired from red-ball cricket on May 7. Some players being considered for the role include Jasprit Bumrah, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant.
Reports say the right-arm fast bowler, who just came back to playing after a long injury break, may not play all five Test matches because of workload management. So, he has likely decided not to be part of the captaincy decision.
At the same time, the BCCI is said to have had informal talks with both Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant about becoming captain. But one selector reportedly raised doubts about Gill’s experience, as he hasn’t secured a permanent spot in the Test team yet. However, the 25-year-old might still be chosen as the vice-captain.
The England tour will mark the start of the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. With senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin retiring from Test cricket, several key positions in the team are now available.
At the same time, the India A team will also tour England. They will play matches against the England Lions in Canterbury and Northampton. Their final match will be against India’s senior Test team. Players like Ishan Kishan, Sai Sudharsan, and Karun Nair are expected to be part of this group and will try to earn a place in the main Test team.
