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Top-order batter Shubman Gill has been named the new Test captain of the India men’s team.<\/b><\/p>\n
The 25-year-old succeeds Rohit Sharma as captain, with the 38-year-old having retired from Test cricket earlier this month.<\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said India did not want to risk burdening pace bowler Bumrah, 31, with the captaincy.<\/p>\n “I think he’s more important to us as a player,” Agarkar said. “We want him fit.<\/p>\n “He’s aware of it. We had a chat with him and he’s OK with it.”<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n “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.<\/p>\n “He’s been around for two to three years in all formats. He can fall back on that experience.”<\/p>\n Gill has been given extra preparation time for the England tour having been named in a strong India A squad to face England Lions.<\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/a><\/p>\n Sai Sudharsan hopes to make his Test debut and fellow batter Karun Nair could play in his first Test since 2017.<\/p>\n India Test squad:<\/b> 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n