“This is perfect” – Sanjay Manjrekar backs Shubman Gill to replace India legend ahead of 2025 ENG vs IND 1st Test

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has backed new skipper Shubman Gill to fill Virat Kohli’s void at No. 4 ahead of the first Test against England, which begins at Headingley in Leeds, starting June 20. The cricketer-turned-commentator said that Gill would be the ideal guy to replace Kohli, owing to his versatility of batting as an opener and at No. 3 in the past.

Manjrekar added that there are already a lot of contenders for the top three positions, hinting at Sai Sudharsan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran, and Karun Nair.

On the eve of the 1st Test, Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo:

“7:54 – (On No.4 spot), Yeah, perfect. And you know that is what I like, pragmatism, because Gill has opened, batted at No. 3 and No.4 being vacant, Gill will be the ideal guy. There are so many contenders for the No. 1, 2, 3 spots, so this is perfect. I think India will get more out of Shubman Gill as a batter when he bats at No. 4.”

Manjrekar further lauded Gill for his technique, adding that the 25-year-old has a bright future in Tests. He said:

“7:17 – Gill, he’s got depth. As a Test better, he is somebody who wants to do well in Test cricket. I like the way he started off in Australia. He got multiple 20s and 30s, which means that against the moving ball, he was showing good technique and I think he has deep down that desire to do something special in Test cricket, considering he’s just a 20-year-old growing up in a T20 world.”

Shubman Gill has 1,893 runs in 32 Tests (59 innings) at an average of 35.05, including five tons and seven fifties. At No. 3, he has 1,019 runs in 30 innings at an average of 37.74, comprising three tons and as many half-centuries. The right-hander, however, has a dismal record in England, managing 88 runs in three games, averaging 14.66.

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“Coach will enjoy a young captain with him” – Sanjay Manjrekar backs Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir duo to deliver in England

Sanjay Manjrekar feels that Gautam Gambhir will enjoy a good camaraderie with Shubman Gill since the latter is quite young, hinting that he would be eager to learn. The 59-year-old added that Gill will have the backing of selectors as he begins a new chapter in international cricket. He said in the same interaction:

“7:30 - Gautam Gambhir as coach will enjoy a young captain with him. You can see him as coach when he is playing with Suryakumar Yadav as India captain vs Rohit Sharma. So, it's gonna be a better kind of relationship between captain and coach.”

6:30 – The advantage that Shubman Gill and this team have - it’s a bit like the team of the 90s when we went to New Zealand, where Mohammad Azharuddin, out of the blue as a young cricketer, was made the captain. You go with the feeling of – Nothing to lose. Big names are gone, Bumrah is not the captain. It’s almost like Gill had to do the job. So, he’s not gonna feel the pressure. And I think because the selectors have made such a big call, they’ll back him and be very supportive,” Manjrekar added.

Shubman Gill will lead the Test team on the back of a promising IPL record as the Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper. The Punjab-born player has led GT to 14 wins in 27 games. He recently guided his team to the IPL 2025 playoffs.