Suresh Raina names India's next all-format captain

Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina has backed young batter Shubman Gill to be the future captain of the national cricket team in the T20I format. Suresh Raina said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will appoint Shubman Gill as the next T20I captain if he wins the IPL trophy.

Rohit Sharma stepped down from the T20I captaincy after the T20 World Cup 2024 victory. The selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir, appointed Suryakumar Yadav as T20I captain. Hardik Pandya, who was the vice-captain in the World Cup, was overlooked.

Rohit Sharma remained as captain for ODIs and Tests. The selectors hinted at future leadership changes by naming Shubman Gill as vice-captain for T20Is and ODIs for the Sri Lanka tour. Gill was chosen as vice-captain ahead of senior players like Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul.

Reports also suggested that the 25-year-old might take over the vice-captaincy in Test cricket. However, the BCCI did not name a vice-captain for the opening Test against Bangladesh. The young batter is one of the few Indian players who is a key figure in all three formats of international cricket.

Shubman Gill Is A Super Star - Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina said that Shubman Gill could be the future captain of Indian cricket. Raina highlighted that Gill is likely to become the next big star and captain if he leads his team to victory in the IPL.

"Shubman Gill is a superstar. Gill is vice-captain; it means someone is thinking about him. If he does well in the IPL and wins the trophy he is the future (captaincy). He will be the next superstar," PTI quoted Raina as saying at an event.

Shubman Gill started captaining the Indian national team during the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe in July 2024. India won the series 4-1 under his leadership. Gill also captained the Gujarat Titans in the 2024 IPL. GT had a disappointing season and finished eighth in the points table.

Rishabh Pant Is Looking Very Good - Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina is also excited about Rishabh Pant's return to Test cricket after almost two years. The cricketer-turned-commentator said that Pant looked very good in the Duleep Trophy 2024 match. He added that Indian batters will face a challenge from Bangladesh's spinners in the first Test.

"He is looking very good. He scored a fifty in the Duleep Trophy. He has been keeping well. When you talk about a Test match you play it session by session."

"Bangladesh have done well against Pakistan. They have got good spinners, it will be interesting to see how the Indians bat against them," said Raina ahead of the first Test starting in Chennai on Thursday.

Rishabh Pant is set to return to the Indian Test XI for the first time since a car accident in December 2022. He was included in the squad for the opening Test against Bangladesh after his fifty in the Duleep Trophy. The match will be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, starting on September 19.

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