England Test captain Ben Stokes has offered his thoughts on Shubman Gill stepping into the leadership role for the Indian Test team. Speaking at a pre-match press conference ahead of the first Test between England and India, Stokes acknowledged the significance of this transition for Indian cricket.
"I think Shubman Gill is a very fine player," Stokes stated, recognizing Gill's established presence in the international arena. "He's been around a long time now, considering he's only young. He's played a lot of cricket, a lot of IPL cricket, actually a lot of cricket for India." Stokes' comments highlight Gill's experience despite his relative youth, emphasizing the foundation he has built in both domestic and international cricket.
Stokes further added, "I think it's an exciting time for Indian cricket to be under new leadership." He acknowledged the inherent pressure that comes with captaining the Indian team, stating, "It's obviously a lot of pressure being captain of any Indian team." However, he maintained an optimistic outlook, reiterating, "It's an exciting time, I think it always is for teams when a new leadership role comes into it."
The England captain also touched upon the challenges that lie ahead, given that Gill will be his direct opponent in the upcoming series. "So yeah, obviously, he is my opposition for the next six weeks so I won't go into it too much but all the best," Stokes remarked, adding a touch of competitive spirit to his well wishes.
Stokes also addressed the absence of key Indian players such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin. While acknowledging their significant contributions to Indian cricket, he cautioned against underestimating the new-look Indian team. "A lot said about no Rohit, no Virat, no Ashwin. That doesn't mean whoever will replace them will be easier to bowl or bat against. Three massive names, done wonderful things for the country," Stokes noted, emphasizing the depth of talent within the Indian cricketing system. He also acknowledged that Jasprit Bumrah would pose a significant threat to his team.
In addition to Gill's captaincy, Rishabh Pant has been named as the vice-captain, adding further youth and dynamism to the leadership group. This new leadership team faces a challenging task in guiding a relatively younger team through a high-stakes away series.
