Shubman Gill will thrive with responsibility: Monty Panesar

After being named captain of the Indian Test team, former England spinner Monty Panesar believes Shubman Gill would bat with much greater responsibility. Shubman Gill took over as India’s 37th Test captain, after Rohit Sharma, who recently declared his retirement from the game’s longest format.

The forthcoming five-match Test series against England, which kicks off both sides’ World Test Championship (WTC) campaigns in the 2025–2027 cycle, will be Shubman Gill first task as India’s red-ball captain. Monty Panesar has urged the 25-year-old to succeed as skipper and bat with a great deal of responsibility ahead of the crucial series.

Shubman Gill will be an excellent captain, in my opinion.

When given responsibilities, he will bat well. “I think he’ll bat well with responsibility,” India Today cited Panesar as saying.

In his 32 Test matches to far, Shubman Gill has amassed 1893 runs at an average of 35.05, including five hundreds and seven fifties. He has only amassed 88 runs from three Test matches played in England, with a top score of 28, thus he doesn’t have a fantastic record on away tours. With veterans like Virat Kohli and Rohit leaving before the England tour, the incoming skipper would therefore need to make a difference.

The absence of Virat and Rohit will be advantageous to England: Panesar

Regarding the auspicious Rohit-Kohli team, Panesar believes the Three Lions will gain from their absence throughout the intense series, which begins at Headingley, Leeds, on Friday, June 20. The former cricket player who is now an expert believes that Ben Stokes’ formidable England team could overwhelm the inexperienced Indian team.

“The fact that Virat and Rohit are not playing will help England. India may have benefited from their expertise. However, Team India lacks experience. And what about inexperience? What will India do when they play England? We are aware of England’s ability to play. India might fall apart’, Panesar said in closing.