India vs England: Ricky Ponting backs Shubman Gill as Test captain, suggests ideal batting spot | Cricket News

Ricky Ponting has weighed in on India’s upcoming Test tour of England and the appointment of Shubman Gill as captain, calling it a “smart and timely” determination as the staff transitions into a brand new period following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the longest format.Speaking to The ICC Review, Ponting praised the 25-year-old Gill for his calm management and powerful batting credentials, each of which he believes will serve India nicely in a difficult five-Test collection beginning June 20.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“I actually think it’s the right move,” Ponting stated. “There’s been talk about why it wasn’t Bumrah or Pant, but Bumrah’s injury history makes it tough. You can’t have your captain missing matches. Shubman’s young, he’s a regular, and most importantly, he’s scoring runs.”

Ponting, who noticed Gill’s management at Gujarat Titans throughout IPL 2024, believes Gill has grown right into a pure chief. However, he feels transferring Gill away from the highest of the order could assist him deal with captaincy duties.“Not having to open or bat at No.3 might ease the burden,” Ponting stated. “I see Sudharsan and Jaiswal opening. Maybe KL Rahul at No.3, then Gill at No.4 and Karun Nair at five. It gives Gill some breathing space as a young skipper.”

Ponting additionally acknowledged the huge void left by the exits of Rohit and Kohli however expressed confidence in India’s depth.“If any country can rebuild quickly, it’s India,” he stated. “They’ve got an abundance of young talent. Players like Jaiswal and Sudharsan have already shown their quality.”He was particularly optimistic about uncapped left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh.“I’d play him from the first Test,” Ponting stated. “He’s skillful, he’s played County cricket, and the Dukes ball will suit him. That left-arm angle adds variety.”

Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc, wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.