Jasprit Bumrah was considered a frontrunner for Team India’s Test captaincy, backed by Sunil Gavaskar, Anil Kumble, and Ashwin. He would have replaced Rohit Sharma for the Test tour of England but a back injury during the fifth and final Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024.25 ended his hopes.
Bumrah was sidelined for three months and the speedster was ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy and the start of the IPL 2025. Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee was not convinced and started exploring other captaincy options.
Having already demonstrated his leadership skills for Gujarat Titans, Gill became the preferred choice.
Meanwhile, Gill’s rapid rise didn’t sit well with everyone. According to a PTI report on Thursday, his stature upset some “influential figures” in Indian cricket. The report also revealed that despite rumours surrounding Bumrah’s potential candidacy, a meeting between Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir in Delhi sealed the former’s appointment.
“Team India’s head coach Gautam was in Mumbai and went to Siddhivinayak Temple. It was believed that Gambhir was still not sure about Gill’s captaincy credentials but their long meeting in Delhi sealed the deal for the 25-year-old. Some of the big names in the Indian cricket were not pleased with Shubman’s popularity but their thought process was not given importance by the BCCI as Punjab-based batter took lead in the captaincy race,” the report stated.
The Indian team for the five-match Test series against England is expected to be announced by the end of this month, with players set to depart for London following the IPL final on June 3. The action will commence on June 20.
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