Top-order batter Shubman Gill has been named the new Test captain of the India men’s team.
The 25-year-old succeeds Rohit Sharma as captain, with the 38-year-old having retired from Test cricket earlier this month.
Gill, who has scored 1,893 runs in 32 Tests, will lead a depleted India team in a five-Test tour of England starting at Headingley on 20 June.
Veteran seamer Mohammed Shami was left out of India’s 18-strong squad following a late injury setback, although he played in the Indian Premier League.
Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has been named Gill’s deputy in the Test squad as Jasprit Bumrah, who was Rohit’s vice-captain on the tour of Australia, may not be able to play in all five Tests.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said India did not want to risk burdening pace bowler Bumrah, 31, with the captaincy.
“I think he’s more important to us as a player,” Agarkar said. “We want him fit.
“He’s aware of it. We had a chat with him and he’s OK with it.”
Gill was one of the leading candidates to replace Rohit as Test skipper having served as Gujarat Titans captain in the IPL and led India in five T20 internationals.
“In franchise cricket, he’s relishing the role,” Agarkar added. “It’s going to be a lot harder but those are the challenges you face playing international cricket.
“He’s been around for two to three years in all formats. He can fall back on that experience.”
Gill has been given extra preparation time for the England tour having been named in a strong India A squad to face England Lions.
They will play two four-day first-class matches and Gill will join the team for the second match at Northampton, starting on 6 June.
India are starting a new World Test Championship cycle without both Rohit and his predecessor Virat Kohli, who followed Rohit in retiring from the format this month.
Sai Sudharsan hopes to make his Test debut and fellow batter Karun Nair could play in his first Test since 2017.
India Test squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Druv Jurel , Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
