"India was sleeping for 2 years, suddenly everyone has woken up"- Shubman Gill's appointment receives shocker

Former wicketkeeper and former chief selector Kiran More has shared his thoughts on India's next Test captain ahead of the five-match series against England. More backed KL Rahul to lead the team in the longer format of the game, adding that Shubman Gill has not done that well in Test cricket.

India are yet to name a new Test captain following Rohit Sharma's retirement. Shubman Gill served as vice-captain during the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, while Jasprit Bumrah led the side in Rohit's absence against Australia in Perth. The selectors are reportedly set to announce the new captain on Saturday.

Kiran More Picks KL Rahul as Test Captain over Shubman Gill

Speaking to Star Sports, Kiran More raised concern over the lack of long-term planning for India's next Test captain. He added that KL Rahul is the best choice to take over from Rohit Sharma, citing his experience. More stated that Gill hasn’t yet proven himself consistently in Test cricket.

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"Suddenly everybody has woken up and now they are saying, 'Who is going to be the next captain?' They should have prepared. We missed the chance to prepare over the last one and a half years, and now it’s a wake-up call for us," More said.

"Shubman Gill is a very talented and outstanding player across formats, but I wouldn’t want to put that kind of pressure on him right now. I would go with KL Rahul, he’s an experienced campaigner. I don’t want to put too much pressure on Shubman Gill. He hasn’t done enough in Tests yet," he added.

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I Would Back a Young, Talented Leader - Saba Karim

Former cricketer and ex-selector Saba Karim backed Gill as the best choice to become India’s next Test captain. Karim said it’s time to invest in a young and talented leader like Gill for the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

"Many times before this, you must have noticed, Tanay, that once MS Dhoni retired, the transition to Virat Kohli was smooth. Even before MS Dhoni, we had Sourav Ganguly. After Sourav, Rahul became the captain, then you had Anil Kumble," Karim stated.

"So there were always people ready. The Indian team has usually had a vice-captain prepared to take over the leadership role. Since we are entering a new WTC cycle, I would go with a young, talented leader — that is Shubman Gill. Although he is yet to fully establish himself in Test cricket.

Shubman Gill Is Yet to Prove Himself in India’s Test Team

Shubman Gill is yet to prove himself in India’s Test team. He has scored 1,893 runs in 32 matches at an average of 35.06, including five centuries. The selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, is set to finalize the Test squad for the upcoming England tour, starting on June 20 at Headingley in Leeds.

Gill showcased his leadership in the IPL with Gujarat Titans, but it remains uncertain whether this will translate to leading India in Tests. Notably, his overseas record has been underwhelming.

The Punjab-born cricketer has an average of just 29.50 in 13 away Tests and only one century. He has played only three Tests in England, scoring 88 runs with a top score of 28.

Also read: Virat Kohli's Test Span elongated by 2 years