Gautam Gambhir’s Extended Meeting with Gill Signals Captaincy Confirmation

India Head Coach Gautam Gambhir reportedly had an extended meeting with Shubman Gill. Gill is most likely to be announced as Test captain when the squad for England tour will be released.

The new test captaincy after Rohit Sharma was within reach of the 31-year-old Jasprit Bumrah. The pacer had full support from former cricketers like Sunil Gavaskar and Anil Kumble. His teammate R. Ashwin also backed him for the leadership role.

However, the incident in Sydney in January this year saw him lose the chance to become captain. Now, reportedly, the board is set to proceed with Shubman Gill as Rohit’s replacement for the red-ball format.

Bumrah’s Captaincy Chance Lost

When Rohit missed the first match in Perth, Bumrah led the team to their only win in the Australia tour. He was also named the captain for the final test as Rohit dropped from the playing XI due to poor form. He was Team India’s only hope of winning the final test.

However, on the morning of the second day of the final test, Bumrah injured his back. He did not come back to the field again. India lost the match, and Bumrah lost his chance to become India’s Test captain.

Bumrah was away from cricket for three months, recovering from his back injury. He missed the Champions Trophy and the start of the Indian Premier League 2025. The selectors were reportedly concerned about the fast bowler’s workload. They wondered if he should be given more responsibilities for leading the Test team. Notably, this was not the first time Bumrah was sidelined for a long period.

Gambhir’s Extended Meeting

A PTI report stated that Shubman Gill was not a unanimous choice for Test captaincy. The report highlighted that ‘influential people running Indian cricket’ were irritated by Gill’s sudden rise to captain candidacy.

The selection committee is reportedly planning a long-term captaincy stint. Gill is seen as the best candidate as he has showcased splendid leadership qualities.

“Head coach Gautam Gambhir’s presence in Mumbai, for offering puja at the Siddhivinayak Temple, had the rumour mills working overtime that Shubman Gill is still not a done deal for the leadership role. With the new captain-in-waiting having an extended meeting with the head coach in the national capital a few days back, there is little chance for the selectors or Gambhir to retract from their original stand.

There were rumours that influential people running Indian cricket aren’t exactly happy with Gill’s sudden elevation, but it would be completely foolhardy to believe that those powerful men weren’t taken into confidence before the Punjab batter was zeroed in as the next Test leader,” the report read.

Stay updated with all the cricketing action, follow Cricadium on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, and Instagram