"I think it's pretty simple" - Ricky Ponting's massive statement on Shubman Gill as captain ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting backed India's decision to appoint Shubman Gill as the Test skipper ahead of the marquee tour of England. After Rohit Sharma retired from Tests last month, India had a difficult choice for Test captaincy.

Despite Jasprit Bumrah being Rohit's deputy until their most recent series in Australia, the management chose the talented youngster at the helm. The 25-year-old has led India only in the T20I series in Zimbabwe last year and never in Tests.

Yet, in a conversation with the ICC Review, Ponting believed Gill's appointment as Test captain was a no-brainer, saying:

"I actually think it's the right move. I know there's a lot of other people out there, pundits out there saying they can't understand why it wasn't Bumrah and why they have gone to Shubman, but I think it's pretty simple. Bumrah's injuries are holding him back a bit in the last couple of years and you don't want that with a captain. You can't have a captain coming in and missing games here and there, so I think it's I think it's the right decision."

He added:

"Now that they've made it, it's one they've got to stick with and give him a good crack at it for, for a long period of time. Even just looking back at the way he's handled this current GT (Gujarat Titans) team through this IPL, I think leadership sits really well with him."

Gill recently captained the Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL 2025, and the side won nine out of 14 games to finish third in the standings. However, they lost to the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Eliminator.

"You have to be scoring runs" - Ricky Ponting's advice to Shubman Gill

Ricky Ponting believes Shubman Gill must score a mountain of runs to cement himself as an excellent leader. The youngster was in outstanding form in the recently concluded IPL, with 650 runs at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 155.87 in 15 matches.

However, his Test numbers are sub-par, averaging only 35.05 in 32 outings.

"The important thing for me with leadership as well as if you're a batter and you're a captain, you have to be scoring runs. And Shubman is doing that in IPL and I think the timing is right and I think you'll have a good captain who’ll make a lot of Test runs going forward," said Ponting (via aforementioned source).

Gill's first assignment as Test captain will begin with the first Test against England at Leeds, starting June 20.