New Test captain Shubman Gill spoke to the team before the five-Test series against England. In a team meeting, he told everyone to play with a clear goal and to show their best against a tough opponent.
Indian Test cricket is starting a new chapter after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli stepped down earlier this year. Now 25-year-old Gill is at the helm and will lead the team from June 20 in Leeds.
Before the first Test, the team practiced in London. In the meeting, Gill told his teammates not just to survive but to dominate in their game. He said, “Let’s make every practice session count. We should prepare under some pressure. It’s about figuring out how we’ll perform when things get tough. Every ball should be played with intention.”
This is Gill’s first series as captain but his batting hasn’t been great. In three Tests in England, he scored 88 runs with a 14.66 average. In the 2024 Border-Gavaskar series against Australia, he scored 93 runs in five innings before being dropped.
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Before Gill, head coach Gautam Gambhir also spoke to the team. He welcomed the new faces and Karun Nair who is back in the squad.
Gambhir told the young players to see this tour as an opportunity to shine and fill the gap left by the senior players. “We can either see this as missing three experienced guys or as a great chance to make a mark for the country. I think there is a lot of hunger and commitment in this group. If we push ourselves, fight for every session and give our all, we can create some special moments on this tour,” Gambhir said. He added that stepping out of their comfort zones can lead to something really special.
