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Key Points

India's Test cricket enters a new era with Shubman Gill taking over captaincy for the upcoming England tour. The young skipper leads a transformed squad featuring emerging talents and facing significant challenges in challenging English conditions. Former players like Sanjay Manjrekar have urged patience during this transition period. The team will aim to prove its mettle despite missing experienced players like Mohammed Shami.

Key Points: Shubman Gill Leads India's Test Squad in England Transition

  • Shubman Gill becomes India's fifth-youngest Test captain at 25
  • Squad features new talents like Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh
  • Team enters transition phase after Rohit and Kohli's Test retirements
  • Missing Mohammed Shami could impact performance in seaming conditions
2 min read

Strange selection, but be patient, says Manjrekar on India Test squad

Sanjay Manjrekar calls India's Test squad 'strange' as Gill takes captaincy for challenging England tour amid team transformation

"Strange team selection overall. But India go to England with nothing to lose. - Sanjay Manjrekar"

New Delhi, May 24

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has called India’s Test squad for the upcoming England tour “strange” but urged fans to show patience as Shubman Gill takes over the red-ball captaincy during what he termed a “massive transition”.

India will play five Tests against England starting June 20, marking the beginning of a new era following the retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the longest format.

“Strange team selection overall. But India go to England with nothing to lose. It’s a team in transition, so we can only wish it the very best & yes, be patient when it comes to returns on investment,” Manjrekar posted on social media.

Gill, 25, now becomes India’s fifth-youngest Test captain, joining the elite list of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, and Ravi Shastri. His leadership skills were already on display in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, where he led Gujarat Titans to the playoffs. His Test captaincy debut, however, comes in the cauldron of English conditions.

Joining Gill in the revamped squad are promising left-hander Sai Sudharsan, comeback man Karun Nair, and left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, who receives his maiden Test call-up. Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan welcomed the selections while lamenting the absence of pace spearhead Mohammed Shami due to injury.

“Many Congratulations to Sai Sudharsan, Arshdeep Singh, Karun Nair for being selected for the ultimate format and the challenging English summer.”

However, he added a note of caution about the absence of injured pace spearhead Mohammed Shami, whose skill and experience could have been vital in seaming English conditions. “Congratulations to Shubman Gill… But surely India is going to miss Mohammed Shami’s services in those conditions,” Pathan noted.

Gill has received a wave of support from former players like Harbhajan Singh and IPL franchises, including his own Gujarat Titans. Harbhajan Singh tweeted, “Congratulations @ShubmanGill. Good luck in England.”

IPL franchises also celebrated Gill’s new role. Royal Challengers Bengaluru tweeted: “Congratulations, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, it’s your time to shine the brightest. Go on, build your legacy!”

His own franchise, Gujarat Titans, posted proudly, “Ek naye Test era ka-aarambh! Our Captain, now #TeamIndia’s Test Skipper!”

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Manjrekar is right - this is a bold selection! But I'm excited to see fresh faces like Sai Sudharsan get a chance. Transition phases are always tricky, but Gill has shown maturity beyond his years in IPL. Let's back our boys 🇮🇳 #InGillWeTrust
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Priya M.
No Shami is a big blow 😔 His experience in England would have been priceless. But happy for Arshdeep - he's earned this call-up with consistent performances. Hope the young guns can handle the pressure of English conditions!
A
Amit S.
Strange selection indeed! Where is Sarfaraz Khan? After scoring tons of runs in domestic cricket, he deserves a chance more than some others picked. Selectors seem inconsistent in their approach 🤷‍♂️
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Neha P.
Gill as captain at 25! Wow, reminds me of when Sachin got the job young. Hope he gets better support than Tendulkar did back then. This could be the making of a new legend 💪 #NewEra
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Vikram J.
England tour is the toughest test for any Indian cricketer. Hope the team management gives these youngsters proper guidance. Remember what happened in 2011 whitewash? Need to learn from history.
S
Sneha R.
Karun Nair's comeback story gives me hope! After that triple century, he disappeared. Now getting another chance - this is what cricket is all about ❤️ Hope he makes it count this time!
K
Karan D.

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