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Shubman Gill will lead India during the side’s five-match T20I series in Zimbabwe from July 6–14 at the Harare Sports Club. The decision is also considered part of a broader plan to prepare Gill for a leadership position in the Indian cricket team. It was done right after the T20 World Cup as a signal to train young talent to invest for “long-term success,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said.

Shubman Gill’s Captaincy Debuts

Shubman Gill was also part of the traveling reserves for India’s T20 World Cup campaign in America along with pacer Avesh Khan. Both players have returned from World Cup duty. However, Rinku Singh remains on the World Cup roster for a while as a reserve and can play in Zimbabwe.

The decision to make Shubman Gill the captain for the upcoming tour to Zimbabwe has been welcomed by former India opener Virender Sehwag. According to Sehwag, Gill has all the attributes of a good captain and can be a frontrunner if and when Rohit Sharma, who is likely to succeed, retires. Sehwag said:

This is that player who plays all three formats. And he’s had a really great last year. Unfortunately, he failed to find a place in the 2024 T20 World Cup squad. In my opinion, it is the right decision to make him the captain Shubman Gill will surely be Rohit Sharma’s perfect captaincy successor when he takes a leave tomorrow.

Riyan Parag has been picked for an Indian senior team after a good season in IPL 2024. Only Ruturaj Gaikwad and other opener Virat Kohli scored more IPL runs for their respective teams than him, as he also finished third on the Orange Cap standings. It reflects how Parag is capable and prepared to make his stride at the international level for India.

Sehwag Endorses Shubman Gill’s Captaincy

Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy also earned his first India call for the Zimbabwe series. Reddy won the emerging player of the 2024 IPL season after scoring 303 runs at an average of 33.67 and a strike rate of 142.92. The way he has played in the overall IPL, he certainly can play for India. Another SRH player, Abhishek Sharma, is expected to make his India debut against Zimbabwe.

Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Rinku Singh, and Tushar Deshpande are some of the other young Indian talents to be named in the squad for Zimbabwe. The emphasis has been on ensuring that young cricketers get international exposure as part of the BCCI’s strategy to groom talent for the future.

India’s future looks forward with Shubman Gill named captain for the Zimbabwe tour. For young talents like Riyan Parag, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Abhishek Sharma, this will be their debut on the international stage. The decision to make Shubman Gill the captain for the upcoming tour to Zimbabwe has been welcomed by former India opener Virender Sehwag. As India moves forward, this mix of youth and experience will be vital to retaining its competitive edge in world cricket.

This article first appeared on Total Apex Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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