Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri shared his views on India’s current Test captaincy dilemma following the retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Speaking on The ICC Review with host Sanjana Ganesan, Shastri suggested that India should focus on grooming younger players for the leadership role rather than placing the burden on their star pacer, Jasprit Bumrah.
Shastri acknowledged Bumrah as the natural choice after the Australia series but expressed concerns about making him captain due to the risk of losing him as a key bowler. Bumrah has led India in three matches, including a standout 295-run win over Australia in Perth, but also lost two away games against England and Australia. Considering Bumrah’s recent back injury, which sidelined him for nearly three months and caused him to miss the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Shastri emphasized that Bumrah should focus on his recovery and bowling workload before taking on captaincy pressures.
Instead, Shastri recommended nurturing younger talents like Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant for the captaincy. Both are in their mid-20s with long careers ahead and already possess leadership experience as IPL franchise captains, Pant with Lucknow Super Giants and Gill with Gujarat Titans. According to Shastri, their age, experience, and temperament make them ideal candidates to be groomed for the role.
Shastri praised Gill’s composed and calm nature, highlighting his qualities as the current No. 1-ranked batter in the ICC ODI Player Rankings. He also dismissed concerns about Gill’s overseas form, pointing out that many players struggle abroad initially and urging patience as Gill works towards a breakthrough on foreign tours. Despite a modest average of 27.53 in 15 away Tests, Gill has shown promise, including a crucial 91 at the Gabba, which helped India secure the series win.
Gill has also served as India’s ODI vice-captain and even captained the team in a T20I series against Zimbabwe, where he scored 170 runs at a strike rate of 125.92, including a top score of 66. Shastri expressed confidence in Gill’s potential to flourish in upcoming tours and make up for his earlier overseas struggles, emphasizing that the youngster has a decade of cricket ahead to prove himself.
