Monty Panesar declares Shubman Gill superior to Harry Brook, drops bomb on Virat Kohli vs Joe Root debate

Former England spinner Monty Panesar has made headlines with his bold picks ahead of the much-awaited five-match Test series between India and England. The Shubman Gill-led India National Cricket Team have already departed for England without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who have now retired from the longest format of the game.

India are all set to embark on a new journey under the new Test captain, Shubman Gill, who doesn’t have that impressive overseas red-ball record. Despite this, Panesar overlooked England’s white-ball captain Harry Brook and predicted that Gill would have a brighter future in Test cricket.

Since the young Indian opener took over as full-time Test captain, the former England spinner has backed Gill to take the red-ball game into the storm with added responsibility.

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Monty Panesar picks Shubman Gill over Harry Brook, names Virat Kohli the better batter than Joe Root

Monty Panesar was quoted as saying by InsideSport: “Shubman Gill. Gill has a better future in Test cricket, and I really hope his numbers get better once he is appointed the captain of Team India.”

Read Also: Shubman Gill claims India don’t care about Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma's absence vs England

Meanwhile, in a comparison between modern-day greats, Monty picked Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli over England’s batting icon Joe Root as the better batsman. The former England cricketer said that Kohli’s presence and influence in the game were the reasons behind his pick.

Panesar added, “I would say Virat Kohli. He’s a better batsman. Because of the fact that he brings to the table. His character, his aura—that’s why Virat Kohli.”

Monty Panesar calls Sachin Tendulkar the greatest Indian batter ever, picks James Anderson over Jasprit Bumrah

On the other hand, Panesar praised James Anderson for performing consistently across different conditions and noted that his overall impact made him a better Test bowler than Jasprit Bumrah. Anderson had a glorious Test career. The England legend is the third-most successful bowler in the longest format, with 704 wickets at an average of 26.45 in 188 Tests.

Panesar stated, “Anderson, in my opinion. I think the way he’s done it in all conditions—I think he’s a better bowler.” Notably, Bumrah is India’s premier pacer across the formats, and his impact is just unmatched at any stage of the game, but injuries have played their role in his journey.

He has named Sachin Tendulkar as the greatest Indian batter ever. The Englishman added, “We all know that. He’s the greatest Indian batsman. He took on what the great Sunil Gavaskar did and took it to the next level. He is the greatest Indian batsman.”

Read Also: AB de Villiers sensationally claims South Africa will 'Upset' Australia in WTC final

Monty Panesar says only MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli come close to Sachin Tendulkar’s legacy

On being asked whether anyone managed to take Sachin Tendulkar’s legacy ahead, Monty admitted that no one has matched the Master Blaster’s legacy completely, but both MS Dhoni and Kohli have come very close.

The former England spinner noted that both Kohli and Dhoni brought similar levels of popularity, calmness, and world-class performances, keeping Indian cricket entertaining among the fans.

Panesar signed off by saying, “Probably the closest are two cricketers—MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. They matched the same level of popularity and demeanor and also had the ability to match the talent on the field as well.”

🚨INSIDESPORT EXCLUSIVE🚨

Monty Panesar picks Gill over Brook and Virat or Root 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/tyQH0USMHN

— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) June 6, 2025