NEW DELHI: Shubman Gill was officially appointed India’s new Test captain on Saturday, with Rishabh Pant named his deputy for the upcoming five-match Test series in England. The selectors’ decision was largely expected, following the retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the longest format.At 25, Gill shares a warm rapport with both legends. As he steps into the leadership role, he reflects on the invaluable guidance he received from them over the years.Interestingly, Gill becomes India’s fifth-youngest Test captain, following Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi (21), Sachin Tendulkar (23), Kapil Dev (24), and Ravi Shastri (25).“When I was a kid, I was always inspired by the greats and the legends of Indian cricket and have been very fortunate to be able to play with so many of them,” Gill said in a video shared by the Indian cricket team following his appointment.“Be it Virat bhai or Rohit bhai, both were very contrasting in terms of their style, but it was very inspiring to see both of them working towards a common goal. You want to be able to win as a captain and your styles can be different, but they both were very different but also similar in their own sense,” he added.
“Virat bhai was always very aggressive, always wanting to lead from the front with hunger and passion,” Gill said. “Whereas Rohit bhai was also aggressive, but you might not see that in his reaction or on his expressions. But he was also someone who was always very attacking on the field. Rohit bhai was someone who was very calm and tactically always very present, and he’s very communicative to the players – what he wants from the players.And so, these are the qualities that I learned from them.”Since making his Test debut in 2020, Gill has featured in 32 matches and scored 1,893 runs at an average of 35. His record includes five centuries and seven half-centuries, with most of his appearances coming at the top of the order.
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