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Excitement is building as India gear up to face England in a high-profile five-match Test series starting June 20 at Headingley, Leeds. The upcoming series marks the beginning of a new chapter in Indian Test cricket following the retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the longest format. With a fresh leadership core in place, Shubman Gill has been named the new Test captain, with dynamic wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant appointed as his deputy.
This tour will test the mettle of a young Indian side eager to establish its identity in the post-Kohli-Rohit era. The pitches in England, known for their swing and seam movement, will present a tough challenge for India’s relatively inexperienced batting unit.
Ricky Ponting highlights captaincy pressure for Gill
Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting weighed in on the growing expectations from Gill as he steps into the role of Test captain for the first time. Speaking to PTI, Ponting acknowledged the dual pressure Gill will face as both a leader and a batter.
“His white-ball form has been incredibly good. He’s got a little bit of work to do on his Test match batting. And that’s never easy when you’re a new captain—to have to worry about your batting to the degree that he’s going to have to. It won’t be easy for him,” Ponting remarked.
He added that Gill’s leadership will be tested under the demanding conditions of England, where captains often have to make quick decisions and lead from the front with the bat.
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Gill at No.4? Ponting shares his tactical viewpoint
In a tactical assessment of India’s potential batting order, Ponting suggested that Gill should bat at No.4 during the England series. He explained that if India open with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan—both young and aggressive players—it would be ideal to place someone with a bit more experience at No.3, allowing Gill to operate from No.4.
“The reason I did that was if they go with (Yashasvi) Jaiswal, and if Sai Sudarshan is the other opener, they need someone a bit more experienced at number three. So that could be either KL (Rahul) at three, or that could be a Karun Nair at three and Shubman at four,” Ponting said.
He also noted that once Gill settles into the role and gains more experience as a leader, he could eventually move back up to the No.3 position.
