Latest news with #Gill-led
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Gary Kisten gives bold statement on Shubman Gill; Matthew Hayden adopts reserved approach before India vs England
As Indian cricket enters a new era with Shubman Gill taking the reins of the Test team, the young opener is receiving strong endorsements from cricketing legends Gary Kirsten and Matthew Hayden. Both former internationals have seen enough of the 25-year-old to believe he has what it takes to lead India in the most demanding format of the game. Kirsten, who served as a mentor for Gill-led Gujarat Titans in the IPL, spoke highly of the young captain's temperament, intelligence, and character. 'I think Shubman is going to be a great leader. He's a smart cricketer — he's got a good brain for the game and understands his own game well,' Kirsten told JioHotstar. 'He's very talented and a nice human being, which I think is really important.' According to Kirsten, the transition into leadership, particularly at the international level, comes with its own pressures, and how a young player responds to those challenges often defines their trajectory. "When you come into these leadership positions, you're going to be put under pressure, and your leadership will be tested. Your ability to learn, grow, and improve is constantly under scrutiny,' he explained. 'But I believe he has all the raw materials to become a really good leader.' Kirsten further praised Gill's professionalism and dedication to his craft. He said that from what he has observed during their time together in the IPL, Gill is someone who 'walks the talk.' 'He's very organised, very diligent with his training and preparation, and that sets a great example for other players. I think he's primed to take on the international stage by storm,' added the former India coach, who guided the national team to World Cup glory in 2011. Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden adopted a slightly reserved approach while backing Gill's potential. He noted the challenges Gill will inevitably face as India's Test captain. 'He will have to find his footing in Test match cricket. There's a very small sample size when it comes to his experience here in England,' Hayden pointed out, acknowledging the difficulty of leading in foreign conditions. Hayden was quick to temper expectations, reminding fans of the legacy Gill is inheriting. 'Virat Kohli, for instance, is India's most successful Test captain in terms of win percentage, so it's not fair to compare. Building a legacy takes time,' he said. However, the towering Australian was optimistic about Gill's long-term prospects. 'Shubman is a very good player, and he's got all the attributes needed to succeed in English conditions. We've already had a glimpse of his leadership across other teams, and there's no doubt he has the potential to grow into the role.' With glowing endorsements from two stalwarts of the game, the cricketing world will watch with interest as Shubman Gill begins his journey as India's Test captain — a role filled with prestige, expectation, and the promise of a new chapter in Indian cricket.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
India tour of England: 'Achha aur talented baccha hai' - Kapil Dev confident Shubman Gill will return with the trophy
Kapil Dev and Shubman Gill NEW DELHI: When Shubman Gill will walk out for the toss alongside his opposition England captain Ben Stokes at the Headingley Stadium on June 20, it will be a new journey for him as a Test skipper. The five-Test series starting in Leeds also marks the beginning of a new era for Indian cricket, with Gill taking over as the new red-ball captain after Rohit Sharma's retirement. India's last Test series win in England came in 2007 under Rahul Dravid's captaincy. Prior to that, the team achieved historic triumphs in 1971 under Ajit Wadekar and in 1986 under Kapil Dev . Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! With Gill set for the big task on his shoulders and that too in his maiden assignment, legendary Kapil Dev is confident of Gill-led India beating England and coming out with flying colours. Shubman has played just three Tests on English soil, scoring 88 runs at an average of 14.66. Poll Will Shubman Gill lead India to victory in his first Test series as captain? Yes, he will lead them to victory! No, it will be a tough challenge. "Achha aur talented baccha hai [He's a good and talented boy] - and now, the captain of the Indian team. I'm sure he will return with the trophy in hand. We feel very proud and wish them all the luck. I hope they come back victorious and play to their full potential," Kapil Dev told in an interview on the sidelines of an event organised by Three Sixty to commemorate his iconic unbeaten 175 during the 1983 World Cup match against Zimbabwe. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Co-Founder of Google Brain, Andrew Ng, Recommends: "These 5 Books Will Turn Your Life Around" Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo IND vs ENG: Rishabh Pant opens up on chemistry with Shubman Gill and England challenge Stalwarts Rohit, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin are no longer part of India's Test setup after a long time. All three have announced their retirements recently. From the old guard, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah , KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, who is the vice-captain, remain, providing a blend of experience alongside the new leadership group. Apart from these senior pros, there will be many new faces who will be playing in English conditions for the first time. Sai Sudharsan, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel, Prasidh Krishna and Akash Deep are the names who will be eyeing impressive outing in unpredictable English conditions. Nick Knight EXCLUSIVE: On Shubman Gill and absence of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma in England Kapil Dev urged not to call this side as 'inexperienced'. "Today they may be inexperienced, but tomorrow they'll be experienced. I have confidence in this bunch of players. They will do something special. I just want to say - just go out there and play. That's it. Enjoy yourself, this is all I want to say to this Indian side," the 1983 World Cup-winning captain said. On star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Kapil Dev said: "He's one of the best bowlers in the world. He knows exactly what to do and how to get the job done. For me, the team is more important than anything else." Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
4 days ago
- Sport
- First Post
India vs England 2025: Key lessons for Shubman Gill and Co from practice games, WTC Final and past tours
Ahead of the five-Test series between India and England, which gets underway in four days' time in Leeds, we take a look at what India will have learnt from their recent practice matches, the ICC World Test Championship final as well as past tours. read more Team India returns to action for the first time since the Rohit Sharma-led side defeated New Zealand in the final of the Champions Trophy to win their second ICC title in less than a year. A lot has changed since then, with Rohit and fellow stalwart Virat Kohli having announced their retirement from Test cricket while the 18th season of the Indian Premier League was underway. Which means that two of the biggest superstars among the current generation of Indian cricketers will not be part of the action when the opening match of the five-Test series against England gets underway in Headingley, Leeds four days from now. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The marquee series – India's first assignment of the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle – will mark the beginning of a new chapter in Indian cricket, with top-order batter Shubman Gill having been named Rohit's successor as Test captain with Rishabh Pant as his deputy. And ahead of the showdown between the two 'Big Three' teams, we take a look at what India will have learnt from their recent practice matches, the ICC World Test Championship final as well as past tours. Gill, Thakur, Nair in good nick ahead of major assignment The key performers in the recent practice matches involving India A were Karun Nair and Shardul Thakur. While the former smashed a double century in the unofficial Test in Canterbury, bowling all-rounder Thakur boosted his chances of making it to the playing XI, smashing an unbeaten 122 in the intra-squad match against the Gill-led Indian team in Beckenham on Sunday. Thakur isn't an automatic starter in the team and is in competition with all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy for a slot in the lower-order. His sparkling ton, along with the fact that he is a lot more reliable as a seamer, should make Thakur a favourite heading into the England Test series. Nair, who scored a sparkling 204 than contained 26 fours and a six, has practically locked his place in the middle-order though it remains to be seen where he ultimately gets to bat. Captain Gill, meanwhile, doesn't have great record when it comes to Tests in England, having played here just once during the 2021 tour. The 25-year-old, however, has been in fine touch in the white-ball formats this year including in the Champions Trophy and the IPL, and also brought up a half-century in the intra-squad match. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Good batting pitch awaits teams at 'Home of Cricket' The 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle concluded with a blockbuster final between title holders Australia and table-toppers South Africa on Saturday, with the Proteas pulling off a historic five-wicket victory to end a 27-year wait for a second ICC trophy and heal the wounds caused by multiple heartbreaks since their readmission in 1991. Lord's hosted the marquee clash this time after Southampton (2021) and The Oval (2023), and the wicket prepared for the South Africa-Australia clash appeared to be a minefield initially with 14 wickets falling on each of the first two days. The batting collapses, however, had more to do with the fact that the two teams boast of the best attacks in the world at present than the wicket itself, which became evident later in the game as South Africa ended up cruising to victory after being set a daunting 282-run target thanks to Aiden Markram's magnificent 136 along with a fighting 66 from captain Temba Bavuma. The iconic venue hosts the third match of the five-Test series between India and England from 10 to 14 July and both teams can expect something similar – a good strip for batters but plenty of help for pacers depending on overhead conditions, with some help for tweakers later in the game. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Strong start certainly helps, but doesn't guarantee eventual desired outcome Beating England in England is far easier said than done – India have won a Test series just thrice since they played their first-ever Test, at Lord's in 1932. The last of those triumphs had come under Rahul Dravid's leadership in 2007; Kohli and company had nearly pulled off a memorable victory in 2021, but were ultimately held to a 2-2 draw with the final Test of the series getting delayed to the next summer due to a COVID outbreak. India had lost by scorelines of 1-4, 1-3 and 0-4 in 2018, 2014 and 2011 respectively, and the key lesson from those tours is the fact that while a strong start certainly helps – which was the case the last time India toured England in 2021 – it has to be sustained throughout the course of the five-match series. England, and especially the current bunch led by Ben Stokes in the 'Bazball Era', are a tough nut to crack in their own backyard – just ask the Australians, who have not won a series here since 2001. And for Gill and Company to end an 18-year wait for another triumph, sustained momentum will be the key. That and the ability to hand the prodigious swing on offer thanks to the unique traits of the Dukes ball along with the wet and overcast conditions that are typical of the English summer and only adds to the challenge for batters. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
5 days ago
- Sport
- First Post
Last-minute call-up for Harshit Rana? Pacer, originally ignored for England Tests, asked to stay back with India squad
Harshit Rana had played the first unofficial Test for India A against England Lions, in which he collected a solitary wicket for 99 runs, and was also part of the intra-squad game against the Shubman Gill-led Indian team. read more Harshit Rana had made his Test debut during the tour of Australia, where he collected 3/48 in his first outing with the Indian team. AP The Shubman Gill-led India squad for the upcoming England Test series that the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee had announced last month might not be set in stone, with pacer Harshit Rana having been asked to stay back after the conclusion of India A's matches in England. Rana, who had made his international debut in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia recently, was part of the India A team that played two unofficial Tests against England Lions along with an intra-squad match against the Gill-led Indian team that will be in action four days from now. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Rana to not board the flight back to India with the rest of the India A squad According to RevSportz, Rana will not be boarding the flight back to India along with rest of the India A squad on Tuesday, 17 June, and has been asked to stay back in England with the main squad. However, it's yet to be confirmed whether Rana has officially been added to the Gill-led squad, or whether he simply is on standby at the moment. Rana had played the first unofficial Test against the James Rew-led England Lions team in Canterbury, collecting a solitary wicket, that of Josh Hull, for 99 runs. Several members of the India A squad have reportedly received offers from County teams, but it isn't clear whether Rana's case is of a similar nature. The Agarkar-led selection committee back picked Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Akash Deep and Shardul Thakur in the pace department for the tour of England along with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Nitish Kumar Reddy has been picked as the lone seam-bowling all-rounder for the upcoming series. Mohammed Shami, who had made his return to the Indian team after spending more than a year on the sidelines, was overlooked for the tour, as was Rana – who had played the first two Tests in the tour of Australia, collecting 3/48 in his first outing in Perth.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
6 days ago
- Sport
- First Post
Ex-India cricketer slams Rohit and Kohli for sudden Test retirement ahead of England tour: 'Baton has not been passed, it has been thrown to Gill'
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had taken the cricketing world by surprise by announcing their retirement from Test cricket more than a month before the five-match away Test series against England was to get underway, resulting in Shubman Gill succeeding the former as India Test skipper. read more Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had announced their retirement from Test cricket in the span of a week in May. AFP Former India cricketer Yograj Singh slammed Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for retiring from Test cricket ahead of the crucial tour of England, adding that the baton hasn't been passed to Shubman Gill but has been thrown at him. Yograj, father of legendary all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, added that both Rohit and Kohli had another 'five years' of Test cricket left in them, and should have played in the marquee England series, which marks the beginning of the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle for the Gill-led side. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Virat and Rohit shouldn't have retired from Tests. I told Rohit to get up at 5 AM and run for 20 km to keep himself fit. Virat and Rohit can still play for another 5 years in Test cricket. They should have played,' former India seamer Yograj told InsideSport. Rohit and Kohli had taken the cricketing world by surprise by announcing their retirement from the five-day format in the span of a week last month. It came less than a year after the two stalwarts bid Twenty20 Internationals goodbye after helping India win the T20 World Cup, making One-Day Internationals the only format they're still active in. Yograj cites Ganguly's example while discussing succession in leadership Yograj, who represented India in one Test and six ODIs between 1980 and 1981, cited the example of former India captain Sourav Ganguly while citing the importance of passing the baton to the next generation as a leader. 'They should be there to see that the baton is passed to the youngsters, just like Sourav Ganguly did. The baton has not been passed, it has been thrown to Gill,' he added. The five-match Test series against England gets underway five days from now at Headingley, Leeds, and will mark Gill's first assignment as India Test captain, with the top-order batter having previously a second-string Indian team in the tour of Zimbabwe last year. Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was named as Gill's deputy by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee while they announced the squad last month. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Additionally, in-form top-order batter Sai Sudharsan earned a maiden India call-up and Karun Nair earned a recall after eight years in the wilderness while Shreyas Iyer and Mohammed Shami were some of the surprise exclusions.
