"Shubman Gill can be his VC" - England legend picks skipper for Team India's Test tour of England

Former English captain Michael Vaughan has chosen Virat Kohli as his pick to lead Team India in the upcoming five-match Test series in England, which begins on June 20. The 50-year-old added that Shubman Gill should be his deputy for the aforementioned Test series.

The remarks came amid reports that Gill is the front-runner for the leadership role after Jasprit Bumrah denied interest in leading the side. Notably, regular skipper Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the longer format on May 7. Later on Saturday, May 10, reports confirmed that Virat Kohli has asked the BCCI that he wants to retire from Tests.

Both Rohit and Kohli last played in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where India lost to Australia by 1-3 in a five-match Test series Down Under.

On Sunday (May 11), Michael Vaughan wrote on X:

"If I was India I would give the captaincy to Virat for the Test series in England .. Shubman Gill can be his VC for the tour .."

Notably, Virat Kohli gave up Test captaincy during the India tour of South Africa 2020-21. The 36-year-old remains India's most successful Test captain, registering 40 wins in 68 matches, including 11 drawn games.

Kohli reportedly wanted to return as India’s Test skipper ahead of the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, but his wish was rejected by the selectors.

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"I think he should go to England" - Mohammad Kaif wants Virat Kohli to overcome technical flaw in his batting during England tour

Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has urged Virat Kohli to overcome his technical flaw - struggle against deliveries outside off stump and end his career on a high note. The cricketer-turned-commentator said on X (via Hindustan Times):

"Virat Kohli, India's Babbar Sher wants to relax. He is thinking about retirement. I think he should go to England, prove his point and end his career on a high note. Because of the work he did in the T20 World Cup, he should end his career on a good note. Is he thinking about retirement out of helplessness? Because there is one kind of delivery that has been troubling him for many years. The ball bowled outside the off stump."

"When the ball was bowled in the fourth-stump channel, he got out many times. It was such a trouble that he couldn't get over it. In his career, he went to England and got out there. In Australia, he got out here. At home, against New Zealand, he got out to spin. He tried a lot," he added.

Kohli got out while poking outside the off stump channel, caught behind by wicketkeeper and in the slip cordon throughout the 2024-25 BGT.