India is getting ready for an important Test series with England, where five matches are scheduled, with the first Test at Leeds scheduled from June 20-24. While Rohit Sharma himself hasn’t said much regarding his captaincy future, he has maintained that he is not retiring and remains the captain of the Indian team. The BCCI will soon be releasing the name of the squad for the series.
The leadership structure of the Indian Test side is expected to change, including the name of Shubman Gill as vice-captain. The BCCI wants to move forward and appoint Gill in this role, beginning with the England series, according to The Times of India. Bumrah has been the vice-captain for three years but has had fitness problems and thus never really could play out a complete series. Gill, in view of already being the vice-captain for the white-ball teams, would very well enter the leadership setup in Tests as well.
BCCI Eyes Shubman Gill as New Test Vice-Captain
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With Jasprit Bumrah’s back problems, the BCCI is searching for a truly fit player to replace the captain when necessary. Gill’s appointment as vice-captain would ensure stability and continuity in the team’s leadership. His prior experience as a vice-captain in white-ball cricket should translate well into Test cricket, and those leadership skills would surely benefit the team.
The India tour of England will take the team to several iconic venues such as Lord’s, Manchester, and London. The schedule looks very packed, with the second Test taking place at Birmingham between July 2 and 6, followed by Lord’s, Manchester, and London. Rohit’s captaincy, for the moment, remains in doubt. While stepping down did mean that he didn’t captain the fifth Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he hasn’t ruled out returning to the post.
Rohit, however, will ostensibly captain the series in England, owing to the absence of any alternative candidates for the honor. The decision on the vice-captaincy will be very crucial for the BCCI in determining where the leadership of the team goes for the series. With the series starting soon, there will be an escalation for the team to make its mark and fight fairly against England.
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