By- Apna Cricket Team Desk
On a breezy Saturday afternoon in Mumbai, a major announcement sent ripples through the Indian cricketing world. Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar, addressing the media in a packed press conference, revealed India's 16-member Test squad for the highly anticipated England tour, set to begin on June 20 at Leeds. The biggest headline—Shubman Gill has been appointed as the new Test captain of Team India.
This change at the helm comes after Rohit Sharma officially announced his retirement from Test cricket just two weeks ago. The transition marks the beginning of a new era for Indian Test cricket, as the selectors have placed their faith in 24-year-old Gill to lead the side in challenging English conditions. Gill, known for his composure and maturity beyond his years, now takes on the responsibility of leading the Men in Blue in a prestigious five-match Test series against England.
Backing Gill will be the returning Rishabh Pant, named as vice-captain and wicketkeeper. Pant’s comeback to Test cricket adds immense value to the squad, both in terms of leadership and dynamic match-winning ability. Alongside him, the squad features a balanced mix of youth and experience, crafted carefully by all five selectors in consultation with BCCI President Devajit Saikia.
Captain - Vice Captain
India’s Test Squad:
Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC/WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
New faces like Nitish Kumar Reddy and Akash Deep join experienced names like Bumrah, Siraj, and Jadeja. With Gill at the helm, India begins a new Test era, aiming to conquer England in their own backyard.