Strange selection, but be patient, says Manjrekar on India Test squad

New Delhi, May 24 (IANS) Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has called India’s Test squad for the upcoming England tour “strange” but urged fans to show patience as Shubman Gill takes over the red-ball captaincy during what he termed a “massive transition”.

India will play five Tests against England starting June 20, marking the beginning of a new era following the retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the longest format.

“Strange team selection overall. But India go to England with nothing to lose. It’s a team in transition, so we can only wish it the very best & yes, be patient when it comes to returns on investment,” Manjrekar posted on social media.

Gill, 25, now becomes India’s fifth-youngest Test captain, joining the elite list of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, and Ravi Shastri. His leadership skills were already on display in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, where he led Gujarat Titans to the playoffs. His Test captaincy debut, however, comes in the cauldron of English conditions.

Joining Gill in the revamped squad are promising left-hander Sai Sudharsan, comeback man Karun Nair, and left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, who receives his maiden Test call-up. Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan welcomed the selections while lamenting the absence of pace spearhead Mohammed Shami due to injury.

“Many Congratulations to Sai Sudharsan, Arshdeep Singh, Karun Nair for being selected for the ultimate format and the challenging English summer.”

However, he added a note of caution about the absence of injured pace spearhead Mohammed Shami, whose skill and experience could have been vital in seaming English conditions. “Congratulations to Shubman Gill… But surely India is going to miss Mohammed Shami’s services in those conditions,” Pathan noted.

Gill has received a wave of support from former players like Harbhajan Singh and IPL franchises, including his own Gujarat Titans. Harbhajan Singh tweeted, “Congratulations @ShubmanGill. Good luck in England.”

IPL franchises also celebrated Gill’s new role. Royal Challengers Bengaluru tweeted: “Congratulations, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, it’s your time to shine the brightest. Go on, build your legacy!”

His own franchise, Gujarat Titans, posted proudly, “Ek naye Test era ka-aarambh! Our Captain, now #TeamIndia’s Test Skipper!”

--IANS

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