“He is not even a certainty in Test cricket” - Former India captain’s scathing attack on Shubman Gill amid captaincy rumors

Former India cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth has opined that Shubman Gill is yet to cement his place in the Test playing XI, making him an unstable choice for captaincy following Rohit Sharma's retirement. The youngster is being tipped to lead the Men in Blue in the longest format ahead of the England tour to kickstart the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

Shubman Gill has emerged to be a promising leader in recent times, having led the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for two seasons, and also the national team in the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe in 2024.

However, his returns in the longest format, especially away from home, is what sets him back. Gill was slotted in at No. 3 following Yashasvi Jaiswal's Test debut, and since then, he has struggled to find consistency. The right-handed batter has shown flashes of brilliance at home, but his away record is concerning, to say the least.

Gill had a forgettable 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, scoring only 93 runs in five innings at an average of 18.60. He was even dropped for the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). His scores in the remaining away assignments in the WTC 2023-25 cycle against the West Indies and South Africa were also far from impressive.

Srikkanth questioned how such a candidate could be considered for Test captaincy, and feels that either Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant or KL Rahul should be considered instead.

"He (Gill) is not even a certainty in Test cricket. The captaincy should be given to Jasprit Bumrah, and if he is not fit or available for any match, then KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant should lead India," Srikkanth told the Times of India (via Hindustan Times).

Gill has a massive responsibility on his shoulders while leading India without Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the ranks. His poor record in England only adds to the concern, as he has scored only 88 runs in three Tests at an average of 14.67.

"KL Rahul should be given that position" - K Srikkanth backs Karnataka star to be India's No. 4 in Tests

Team India have the massive headache of finding a new No. 4 ahead of the England tour following Virat Kohli's retirement. This marks the first time in ages that the Men in Blue are facing uncertainty regarding the crucial spot in the middle-order.

Srikkanth feels that KL Rahul, with his experience and skillset, deserves to hold the role over the other potential candidates.

"Coming to the question about India's next No. 4 in Test cricket, for me, KL Rahul should be given that position. He can be India's lynchpin going forward in Test cricket. He has got the right technique, and the management should give him that fixed role," Srikkanth suggested.

KL Rahul had switched to the lower middle-order in Tests after his comeback as there was no vacancy at the top. The batter impressed as an opening batter during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar series, and is a candidate to continue donning the role against the new ball along with Yashasvi Jaiswal.

He had batted at No. 4 in Virat Kohli's absence during the first Test in Hyderabad against England in the 2024 home series. However, he could not get an extended run in the position as he suffered an injury, ruling him out of the remainder of the five-match affair.