BCCI wanted Shubman Gill as Rohit Sharma's successor since 2023, claims India selector
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BCCI has considered Shubman Gill as India's only option as an all-format skipper since 2023, confirms a former Indian selector. The right-handed batter is the captain of Tests and ODIs and is the most likely contender for T20I captaincy after Suryakumar Yadav.
Shubman Gill took over as India's Test captain in England at the start of this WTC cycle when Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the format. After a promising series, he was elevated as India's next ODI captain on the tour to Australia.
Gill recently missed the ODI series against South Africa following an injury during the Test series. KL Rahul, the talented wicket-keeper batter, replaced him as a stand-in skipper and handed India their first ODI bilateral win since the ICC Champions Trophy triumph.
Shubman Gill has been considered an all-format captain since 2023
Former BCCI selector Salil Ankola has revealed that Shubman Gill was always considered as an option for captaincy by the BCCI, and incidentally, he also made his T20I debut in 2023, and hence, he started to be considered as an all-format captaincy option for the future.
"We always thought Gill would become the captain. We had considered him for the role right from 2023, believing he would take the reins in his hands. Selectors do take suggestions-not only from the coach and captain but also from other senior players. They also felt he was the right guy, even those who retired earlier," said Ankola, on Vicky Lalwani's YouTube channel.
"It is a collective decision. Everyone felt it, and he proved it in England. What a series he had! Under such pressure, if he scores 750 runs in England, that shows his mental capacity. People will say someone else should have been captain or bring someone back. Humans are very unsatisfied souls. Whatever good you do, they will find something bad in it. People think they know everything."
Shubman should consolidate his position at the top of the T20I lineup
The 26-year-old cricketer is making a return to the shortest format of the game for India after missing out on the ODIs and the Test series against the same opposition. He has come out of the NCA following a recovery from a neck spasm.
"Shubman Gill should cement his place at the top of the order in T20 cricket. We believe in all-format players. We have seen how well he plays in the IPL. Now, he has a chance to cement his place in India's T20 International side," said Irfan Pathan on Gill's return.
He performs supremely well in the shorter format, especially in the IPL, according to Pathan, and hence, the former all-rounder feels that the pitches with proper bounce and pace shall be the ones ideal for Gill to capitalise on.
India begin T20Is with commanding victory in Cuttack
India won the first T20I against South Africa in Cuttack following a stunning performance with the ball. Indian batters struggled in the batting innings; Shubman Gill, the vice-captain, and Suryakumar Yadav, the skipper, were dismissed early on.
Even the likes of Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma failed to put the Indian innings together; it wasn't until Hardik Pandya stepped in for India that runs started coming easily. He smashed the Protea spinners and then the pacers with a 28-ball 59-run innings.
Then, with the ball, India won the match as every bowler found themselves among the wickets. Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel picked 2 wickets each, while Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya, the two all-rounders, had a wicket with the ball.
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