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"Make A Bold Move" Ex-BCCI Selector Bats For Shubman Gill's Test Captaincy

Akshita Patel

Saba Karim reveals his choice for India's Test captain [Source: @SPORTYVISHAL, @CricCrazyJohns/X.com]Saba Karim reveals his choice for India's Test captain [Source: @SPORTYVISHAL, @CricCrazyJohns/X.com]

With Rohit Sharma retiring from Test cricket earlier this month, India needs a new captain for the longest format. Former cricketer and ex-selector Saba Karim has backed young star Shubman Gill for the role, as he believes making Gill the Test captain would be a bold yet forward-thinking step for Indian cricket.

Rohit and Virat Kohli retired from the Test format earlier this month, just weeks ahead of India’s 5-Test tour to England. Now, the national selection committee is not only tasked to pick the right squad but also choose an ideal captaincy successor in Test cricket.

As per rumours, Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rishabh Pant are in the race to get the blazer, but Saba Karim is awaiting a bold move.

Saba Karim Reveals His Bold Choice For India’s Test Captain

Speaking on Follow The Blues – Selectors Meet on JioHotstar, Saba Karim explained that Shubman Gill is the right choice for India’s next Test captain as he has already shown leadership qualities. 

Gill is 25 years old and vice-captain in the ODIs and T20Is and had the opportunity to captain India during the T20I series against Zimbabwe in 2024. He has little captaincy experience in Tests, but Karim believes that Gill's calm nature, paired with his experience in international cricket, makes him a good option.

“You have Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant. Considering this is the start of a new WTC cycle, I would go with a young, talented leader—Shubman Gill. Although he’s yet to fully establish himself at the Test level, I’d like to see the selectors make a bold move. We've seen his leadership skills in the shorter format with GT, and he seems to be in a very happy space when leading. That should bode well for India," Karim said.

Not only that, Gill has played 32 Test matches and scored 1,893 runs, including 5 centuries. However, he is still trying to fully establish himself in the Test team. Karim acknowledged this, calling the move “risky” but worth it for the future of Indian cricket.

Why Is Jasprit Bumrah Not A Front-Runner For Test Captaincy?

Team India might face a major setback as Jasprit Bumrah has reportedly informed selectors that he may not be able to play all 5 Tests in the upcoming England series. Still recovering from past injuries, Bumrah is unsure if his body can handle the workload of long spells in English conditions. Hence, keeping his workload management in mind, the selection committee is unlikely to name him India’s next Test captain.