"Hoping Shubman does something really special and owns that number" - Indian legend has high hopes from Gill ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 Tests

Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has said that he hopes newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill can own the number four spot in the upcoming series against England. The 25-year-old was confirmed to bat at that position by vice-captain Rishabh Pant on Wednesday, taking over from Virat Kohli.

Tendulkar occupied that spot before Kohli for almost two decades until his international retirement in 2013. The 52-year-old told Sky Sports:

"With time you have to keep moving forward and the game is such where a number of generations come, they build a solid foundation, they inspire the next generation and that is what has happened."

"Virat (Kohli) has been instrumental in inspiring so many young cricketers and before that there were so many exceptionally talented cricketers who inspired us. So you need heroes to inspire you to go out and start that beautiful journey and I am hoping that Shubman does something really special on this tour and owns that number," Tendulkar added.

Gill will come into the tour with a mediocre record in England, albeit with a small sample size of matches. England bowling legend James Anderson refused to look too much into the right-hander's returns in England so far in his career.

"Someone like Shubman, you can't take him for granted because he's got hundreds against us in India, he's a fantastic player and he's now got experience of playing in England. I think the captaincy can potentially can add more fuel to the fire for someone like him. I don't think England will be taking him lightly at all," Anderson told Sky Sports.

Sachin Tendulkar says he has faith in Shubman Gill the captain as India embark on a new era

With both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from Test cricket in May, the onus now is on Shubman Gill to take Indian cricket forward in the longest format. Sachin Tendulkar backed Gill to take up the mantle, having seen him lead the Gujarat Titans in the IPL.

"Shubman is a talented player and very, very eager to go out and compete hard and bring laurels to the nation. I have faith in him. Whatever I have seen, I have interacted a bit with him. He's a good student of the game and whatever I have seen him in IPL T20 leading Gujarat, he's been impressive," Tendulkar said.

The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy was unveiled ahead of the series opener between England and India at Headingley on Friday.