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The condolence meet saw participation from ex-sports minister Bandhu Tirkey, officials, and some renowned athletes across various disciplines.
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News18
3 hours ago
- News18
Why Shubman Gill Is Right Choice For T20 Vice-Captaincy: 'Difficult Not To...'
Last Updated: Experts explain why Shubman Gill is being seen as a genuine candidate for India's T20 vice-captaincy. India's hesitant stance toward split-captaincy, IPL performances, and conditions in the UAE for the 2026 T20 World Cup are some of the factors that might work in Shubman Gill's favor for getting into a leadership role in the national T20I side, as per former cricketers and selectors. Gill has played only 21 T20Is for India, with good but not extraordinary numbers to show for it: strike rate of 139.27, one century, and three fifties. His last match in the format came in July 2024, and since then, he has been replaced by the likes of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson at the top of the order. With the 2025 Asia Cup on the horizon, Gill's name is popping up again. His Test success in England has seemingly made the selectors consider his name as the vice-captain and heir to Suryakumar Yadav. 'There's no reason why Gill should not get a leadership role in T20. The messaging has to be clear about who takes over after Suryakumar Yadav," former India selector Devang Gandhi told TOI. Currently, with Suryakumar in T20Is, Rohit Sharma in ODIs, and Gill in Tests, India has three different captains, which is quite rare. 'Unlike other countries, split captaincy doesn't work in India in the long run because you crave stability in the thought process. When you have a prolific all-format player leading in one format, it becomes difficult not to hand him the same responsibility in the other format. Gill has ticked all the boxes as a batter. And he has led in IPL," Gandhi added. Meanwhile, former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta believes that Gill will contest with the incumbent vice-captain Axar Patel for the job in Ajit Agarkar's side. 'Sanju Samson has done well. But he struggled against a full-strength England team at home," Dasgupta said in the same report. 'That was the only series under Surya where India played a top international full-strength team. Gill can play the role of Kohli who can take the innings deep in high-pressure tournaments. He has IPL performances to back him. On slower pitches in UAE, one must have that kind of player. Going by how Agarkar's panel has worked, the planning will be beyond the Asia Cup. If they need to groom a captain for the future, they will have to decide if Axar Patel is above Gill." view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


Hindustan Times
7 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Shubman Gill inches closer to leadership role in India's Asia Cup squad: ‘Who takes over after Suryakumar Yadav…'
Shubman Gill is inching closer to landing a leadership role in India's T20I side for the Asia Cup 2025, slated to be played in the UAE next month. This, after he did not feature in India's last three T20I bilaterals against Bangladesh, South Africa and England. There are two reasons behind the selectors seriously considering drafting Gill back into India's T20I side, not only as a batter but also as a leader. India players Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill(PTI) Firstly, India never picked a 'full-strength' T20I squad since they won the World Cup in the West Indies in June last year. Gill was not a part of that squad but he was named captain of the young side that toured Zimbabwe immediately after the triumph in the Caribbean. He was also India's T20I vice captain in the Sri Lanka series but as the pressure of other formats (mainly Test cricket) grew, the selectors decided to take Gill away from the shortest format. Gill was not picked in the Indian T20I side for the home series against Bangladesh. There was no sign of him when the team toured South Africa and hosted England at home. In his absence, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson scored centuries for fun at the top of the order. That is where the problem now is. After what Gill achieved as captain of a relatively inexperienced side in the five-match Test series in England, it was always going to be difficult to keep him away from any other format, especially when an important multi-nation tournament like the Asia Cup is around the corner. According to a Times of India report, the ones in power are in favour of one captain for all formats. Since Suryakumar Yadav has done nothing wrong either as a batter or as captain in T20Is, there is no reason for him to be replaced immediately but Gill's entry in the leadership group is more or less guaranteed. India's Test captain could return to India's T20I side for the Asia Cup as the vice-captain. 'The messaging has to be clear about who takes over after Suryakumar Yadav' Apart from Gill's staggering achievements in England—he scored 754 runs in five Tests—what could also work in his favour is the Indian cricket team's tendency to trust one face for all formats. "Indian cricket has usually leaned towards captains across formats who can cater to the market forces and bring substantial brand value. That Gill has become a major brand can't be ignored," the report added. "There's no reason why Gill should not get a leadership role in T20. The messaging has to be clear about who takes over after Suryakumar Yadav,' former India selector Devang Gandhi told TOI. 'Unlike other countries, split captaincy doesn't work in India in the long run because you crave stability in the thought process. When you have a prolific all-format player leading in one format, it becomes difficult not to hand him the same responsibility in the other format. Gill has ticked all the boxes as a batter. And he has led in IPL,' Gandhi reasoned. Former India keeper Deep Dasgupta said Gill will be groomed as an all-format captain for the future. 'Sanju Samson has done well. But he struggled against a full-strength England team at home. That was the only series under Surya where India played a top international full-strength team. Gill can play the role of Kohli who can take the innings deep in high-pressure tournaments. He has IPL performances to back him. On slower pitches in UAE, one must have that kind of player. Going by how Agarkar's panel has worked, the planning will be beyond the Asia Cup. If they need to groom a captain for the future, they will have to decide if Axar Patel is above Gill." The selectors are likely to name India's Asia Cup squad in the middle of next week.


Time of India
19 hours ago
- Time of India
Chennai engineering student is 89th from India to reach the mark
Chennai engineering student is 89th from India to reach the mark CHENNAI: A new grandmaster from Tamil Nadu has almost become a trend, but there's something striking about S Rohith Krishna. The 20-year-old Chennai boy secured all three norms — the first in March, the second in May, and the final at the Almaty Masters Qonaev Cup in Kazakhstan on Tuesday — in a space of six months. Rohith is now India's 89th Grandmaster and the 33rd from Tamil Nadu. His tryst with chess began at the age of eight, when his veterinarian mother offered him a choice between chess and drawing. He picked chess, and there has been no looking back. In his early years, Rohith defeated some of the top talents, including world champion D Gukesh. While his chess friends zoomed ahead, Rohith, who became an IM in 2022, slowed his rating climb to focus on academics. He is currently in the third year of an engineering degree at SSN College of Engineering. Talking to TOI, Rohith's coach K Visweswaran said: 'Rohith defeated the likes of Gukesh and other top players when he was a kid, but he couldn't rise further because he wanted to focus on his studies and balance both. He studied in a CBSE school and always scored 90-plus. He wants to be an allrounder; a good engineer and a good chess player. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 11 Foods That Help In Healing Knee Pain Naturally Undo 'It may seem like he achieved his norms quickly, many years of effort went into it. There were many moments of internal panic. He always had the ability to make a he not focused so much on academics, this could have happened last year. He has been a Grandmaster in the making for years.' After a string of strong performances, Rohith's immediate goal is to cross the 2600 barrier in FIDE rating. 'Instead of chasing the final norm, I decided to focus on preparation and improving my game. I was sure I would become a Grandmaster; it was just a matter of time, so I wanted to strengthen my overall play. In Almaty Masters, I needed a win in the final round and I went in with an open mind, knowing anything could happen. I feel relieved and happy after achieving this milestone,' Rohith told TOI from Abu Dhabi. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!