Cheteshwar Pujara Shares Honest Verdict on Shubman Gill as Test Captain

Veteran Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara weighed in on Shubman Gill’s appointment as India’s new Test captain, calling it both a “challenge” and a “huge opportunity” for the young opener. The BCCI handed over the leadership to Gill after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their retirements from Test cricket, marking a clear generational shift in India’s red-ball setup.

Leading in England will test Gill’s character

Speaking in an online interaction hosted by Sony Sports Network, Pujara said:

“When you go abroad as a captain, whether you are young or matured, it’s always challenging. Starting off in England won’t be easy for Shubman, but if he does well, it will give him a big confidence boost.”

Pujara explained that the team management preferred Gill over Jasprit Bumrah since Bumrah might not play all five Tests due to workload concerns. He believes this move signals long-term thinking by the selectors.

Pujara urges Gill to separate captaincy from batting

Pujara, who has played 103 Tests and scored over 7,000 runs, advised Gill to focus on his batting while managing the captaincy.

“As a batter, your job remains the same. You need to keep the two roles separate. When you’re out there batting, forget the captaincy and just concentrate on scoring runs,” he said.

He added that Gill’s naturally aggressive approach should not change, even in English conditions. “He must continue playing his shots but choose the right bowlers to attack.”

Pant named vice-captain despite recent form dip

Pujara backed the decision to appoint Rishabh Pant as vice-captain, saying the wicketkeeper has a solid Test record in England, despite inconsistent form in T20s.

“Bumrah is not in contention for the leadership group, so Pant is a logical choice. He’s performed brilliantly in England before and can do it again,” Pujara noted.

He also recommended KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal as the ideal opening pair for the upcoming England series and suggested Karun Nair or Abhimanyu Easwaran for the No. 3 or No. 4 slots, depending on where Gill bats.

The five-match Test series between India and England starts on June 20 at Leeds, kicking off a new era for Indian cricket under Shubman Gill’s leadership.

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