Ricky Ponting has weighed in on India's upcoming Test tour of England and the appointment of Shubman Gill as captain, calling it a "smart and timely" decision as the team transitions into a new era following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the longest format.
Speaking to The ICC Review, Ponting praised the 25-year-old Gill for his calm leadership and strong batting credentials, both of which he believes will serve India well in a challenging five-Test series starting June 20.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!"I actually think it's the right move," Ponting said. "There's been talk about why it wasn't Bumrah or Pant, but Bumrah's injury history makes it tough. You can't have your captain missing matches. Shubman's young, he's a regular, and most importantly, he's scoring runs."
Ponting, who observed Gill's leadership at Gujarat Titans during IPL 2024, believes Gill has grown into a natural leader. However, he feels moving Gill away from the top of the order may help him focus on captaincy duties.
"Not having to open or bat at No.3 might ease the burden," Ponting said. "I see Sudharsan and Jaiswal opening. Maybe KL Rahul at No.3, then Gill at No.4 and Karun Nair at five. It gives Gill some breathing space as a young skipper."
Ponting also acknowledged the massive void left by the exits of Rohit and Kohli but expressed confidence in India's depth.
"If any country can rebuild quickly, it's India," he said. "They've got an abundance of young talent. Players like Jaiswal and Sudharsan have already shown their quality."
He was especially optimistic about uncapped left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh.
"I'd play him from the first Test," Ponting said. "He's skillful, he's played County cricket, and the Dukes ball will suit him. That left-arm angle adds variety."
India Test squad for England
Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc, wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
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