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India.com
3 days ago
- Sport
- India.com
IND vs ENG: Not KL Rahul! This star batter may open with Yashasvi Jaiswal in England Tour as Australian legend says...
In this collection of pictures we shall know the star batter who might open with Yashasvi Jaiswal in England Tour. Interestingly, it's not KL Rahul. Let's dive in. KL Rahul has staked his claim to be the opener in the Test series against England by scoring a century while opening the innings against England Lions. He opened the innings for India-A in the second unofficial Test match against England Lions and scored 116 runs in the first innings. However, a 23-year-old explosive batsman is also in the race to become Yashasvi Jaiswal's partner. This batsman showed with his stormy batting in the recently concluded IPL 2025 that he is adept at opening the threads of the ball. Former Australian captain and great batsman Ricky Ponting has also supported this young batsman to become Yashasvi's opening partner. The Indian cricket team will take the field in the first Test of the five-match Test series against England on June 20. This is going to be a new phase for the Indian team under the leadership of new Test captain Shubman Gill. After the retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, there are going to be many big changes in the batting unit, in which many young faces will also be seen. However, after Rohit's retirement, the opening spot is a big question as to who will open with Yashasvi Jaiswal. Veteran batsman KL Rahul opened in four out of five Tests in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, in which runs also came from his bat. In such a situation, it is being speculated that now after Rohit Sharma's retirement, the management can field him as an opener. However, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has chosen Sai Sudharsan for this role. Ponting said that this is the right time to give this 23-year-old a chance to debut in the longest format. He believes that Rahul's experience will help the team in the middle order. Let us tell you that Sai Sudharsan has not made his Test debut for India. However, he has made his debut for India's white ball team. In IPL 2025, this explosive batsman scored a lot of runs and won the Orange Cap with 759 runs. Speaking to the Indian Express, Ponting said, "I said this because if they go with (Yashasvi) Jaiswal and if Sai Sudharsan is the second opener, then they need another experienced player at number three. So KL can be at three or Karun Nair can be at three and Shubman can be at four... once you are set in this, you can take yourself back to number three." The veteran further said, "I think it is the right time for Sudharsan to come into the team, honestly. Now there are going to be some changes in the Indian team, obviously with Rohit and Virat not being there. Every team goes through this phase... I think Sudharsan is ready."
India.com
5 days ago
- Sport
- India.com
IND vs ENG: Jasprit Bumrah to play all five Tests? Team India coach Gautam Gambhir drops hint, says...
Gautam Gambhir at press conference ahead of England Tour. (PIC - PTI) New Delhi: As India prepare for a challenging tour of England where they are to face five Test matches without many of their senior players, the captain Shubman Gill and the head coach Gautam Gambhir will need to take some very difficult decisions on the batting and the bowling front. To begin with, there will need to be an appeal on who will step into Rohit Sharma's opening shoes — Abhimanyu Easwaran or Yashasvi Jaiswal. Whether Karun Nair will be back into the India middle order, and a more difficult one regarding which of the five matches spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will feature in will be decided. Bumrah can be spared only four Tests to plan his workload. Gambhir said they haven't yet finalised which four games Bumrah will play. But he added that Nair has a strong possibility of playing in the XI as he has performed well of late both in domestic cricket and also for India A. 'We haven't taken that call. A lot will depend on the results of the series, and we will have a discussion with him. That is something that I am sure he is also aware of,' said Gambhir during the pre-departure press conference at the BCCI headquarters here on Thursday. Asked about not having Bumrah for the entire tour, Gambhir said they have a great mix of bowlers. 'I think we have picked enough bowlers, and we have enough pace bowlers. A lot of the fast bowlers are in a great space to be able to win matches from any situation, any position. Obviously, someone like Jasprit Bumrah, whenever he would play, it would be a great sight for us. 'Always difficult to replace Bumrah, but as I said in the Champions Trophy, it is an opportunity for someone to put their hand up. And there is enough quality there. 'But I think we have a great mix of bowlers, and we have a great set of bowlers. Look, it is always difficult to replace someone like Bumrah. But we have got enough options,' Gambhir said.
India.com
5 days ago
- Sport
- India.com
Shubman Gill Begins Test Captaincy Era Alongside Coach Gautam Gambhir: 10 Key Takeaways From Press Conference
photoDetails english 2911664 Updated:Jun 06, 2025, 07:31 AM IST A New Chapter in Indian Cricket 1 / 10 Shubman Gill officially steps in as India's Test captain, marking a generational shift in leadership after the retirements of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Rishabh Pant has been named vice-captain. Gill shared his excitement and acknowledged the responsibility of leading a young, evolving squad. Leadership Built on Trust and Communication 2 / 10 Gill emphasized fostering a team culture based on open communication, mutual respect, and a shared vision. His leadership philosophy revolves around giving players freedom and confidence to perform without fear of failure. Transition from the Kohli-Rohit Era 3 / 10 Gill and Gambhir paid tribute to Kohli and Sharma for their immense contributions to Indian cricket. They acknowledged the void left by the legends but remained confident in the current squad's ability to rise to the occasion. Jasprit Bumrah's Role Yet to Be Finalized 4 / 10 Gambhir clarified that no decision has been made yet regarding Jasprit Bumrah's role in the England series. The team management will assess conditions and Bumrah's fitness before finalizing his appearances. Shreyas Iyer's Omission Explained 5 / 10 Addressing media queries, Gambhir revealed that Shreyas Iyer was left out due to a dip in form and concerns around fitness. He reiterated that the door remains open for any player performing consistently. Experience Over Flair – Karun Nair Returns 6 / 10 Backing Karun Nair's inclusion, Gambhir highlighted the importance of experience in tough overseas conditions. Nair's past performances and maturity were key reasons for his selection over younger names. Gambhir Slams RCB Roadshow After Tragedy 7 / 10 Gambhir expressed condolences for the tragic stampede during RCB's celebratory roadshow in Bengaluru. He strongly criticized public events of such nature, stressing that player and fan safety must be prioritized. Game Plan vs. Bazball 8 / 10 Gill spoke about the upcoming Test series against England, particularly their aggressive 'Bazball' approach. He assured fans that India will be proactive, well-prepared, and flexible with strategies to counter England's style. India's Balanced Squad for England Tour 9 / 10 India's Test squad was described as a blend of youth and experience. The five-Test series begins on June 20 at Headingley. Both Gill and Gambhir are confident in the group's ability to succeed in English conditions. Optimism and Purpose Define the New Era 10 / 10 The conference concluded with both captain and coach echoing positivity about India's future in red-ball cricket. Unity, adaptability, and hunger for success are the themes driving this new era under Gill and Gambhir.
India.com
5 days ago
- Sport
- India.com
After Kohli's exit, Shubman Gill reveals what's next for Team India's top order, says...
Shubman Gill (L) and Gautam Gambhir (R) at press conference ahead of England Tour. (PIC - PTI) New Delhi: A new era has begun in Indian cricket. The command is now in the hands of Team India's new and young Test captain Shubman Gill. At the time of announcing Team India for the England tour, the selection committee had decided to make Shubman Gill the captain. Before Team India left for this tour, Shubman Gill appeared in front of the media for the first time as Test captain. On Thursday, June 5, Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir held a press conference together for the first time at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai and answered many questions. Since Virat Kohli retired, there's been a lot of talk about India's new batting line-up. Shubman Gill said that the team coaches will decide the batting order after India's practice match starting on June 13. On the retirement of Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill replied over India's top order – 'We haven't really decided on the…we still have some time. We will be playing intra squad match and we will be having a 10-day camp in London, so we still have a little bit of time. I think we can decide on the batting order once we go there,' he said. 'When I came to know, there was an opportunity to captain the Test team, it was overwhelming. Having said that It's a big responsibility. Looking forward to this great challenge that will be presented to us,' Shubman Gill said before departing for England.
NDTV
25-05-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
Gautam Gambhir, BCCI Selectors Blasted Ahead Of England Tour For Not Preparing For Transition
The transition phase has truly began in Indian Test cricket. After the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the Indian cricket team will bear a fresh look when it gets down to action in the Test series against England. Sai Sudharshan has got a maiden India Test call-up while all eyes will be on Karun Nair and Abhimanyu Easwaran, if they get a chance in the XI. More importantly, Shubman Gill will be the new India Test captain. The squad was announced by BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar on Saturday. Ahead of the squad selection, former BCCI chief selector Kiran More was critical of Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir and the current BCCI selectors for not being prepared for the transition phase in a better way. Notably, both Kohli and Rohit retired from Tests just weeks before the squad selection for the England Tour. 'First thing, I'm surprised. The whole selection committee and coach should've thought about this, that this (transition) was going to come,' Kiran More told Follow the Blues on JioHotstar. 'Now, suddenly, everybody has woken up and now they're asking who should be the next captain. They should've been prepared. I feel we haven't prepared for 1.5 years, this is a big wake up call for us.' Meanwhile, former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan praised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selectors for their decision to appoint Shubman Gill as the new Test captain of the Indian men's cricket team. He emphasised the importance of a captain who plays across all three formats and has sufficient time to mature into the role. This approach ensures stability and allows the captain to grow. The announcement came from Chairman of the Senior Selection Committee Ajit Agarkar, who revealed India's squad for the upcoming five-match Test series against England during a press conference held in Mumbai on Saturday. Shubman Gill has been appointed as India's new Test captain, and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will serve as his deputy in the longest format. "I think this is a very good decision by the selectors. I have always said that there should be such a captain who has a guarantee that he should be a surety for the Indian team in all three formats. And secondly, he should have some time to grow in," Atul Wassan told ANI.
