Since Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket in May, questions have immediately arisen about who will now don India’s Test captaincy patch. But with the biggest Test series of England being set to commence on June 20, feverish discussions have been building on who would fill that mantle.
Some of the names doing the rounds include Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul. Jasprit Bumrah was also in the race but jilted it for fitness reasons, citing that he might not be fit for all five tests. According to a report by Sky Sports, there have been talks by the selectors with Gill and Pant, but nothing concrete has yet emerged. One of the selectors is of the view that Gill is not a fully regular Test player yet, and the best role for him for now would be that of vice-captain.
Gill is performing well with the Gujarat Titans in IPL, amassing well over 600 runs in 12 matches and also showing his ability to lead. Meanwhile, Pant is leading the Lucknow Super Giants and has experience in leading India in five Test matches, out of which two have been wins and two have been losses.
Read Also:- India’s Next Test Captain
While the possibility of Bumrah cementing his place further was exposed in the late Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, there remains caution with his back injury. It should also be borne in mind that following Rohit’s Test retirement, Virat Kohli also announced his retirement right before this much-anticipated tour.
Starting from June 20 onwards, the England-themed five-match Test series has been scheduled to happen, with Headingley in Leeds hosting the first Test, followed by Birmingham, Lord’s, Manchester, and The Oval in London for the remaining matches, scheduled to conclude by August 4.
