What did Rahul Dravid say about Shubman Gill’s Indian Test captaincy?

Rahul Dravid as U-19 Coach (Source: Kai Schwoerer-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

Rahul Dravid was reportedly consulted before naming Shubman Gill as India’s new Test captain. The former Indian coach has worked with Gill since the Under-19 days and knows him well. In Dravid’s tenure as the Indian Head Coach, Gill became an All-format batter and established himself in the ODI side while being in the scheme of things in Tests.

As per a source from the BCCI, the Indian selectors spoke with the former Indian Coach, who worked with Gill both at the junior and the senior levels. The report claimed that Dravid had great things to say about Gill, the leader. Having captained the Gujarat Titans in the second consecutive season in 2025, Gill has enough experience as a skipper.

“The selectors spoke to Dravid as he had seen Gill when he was a teenager and had also coached him at the U19 and the senior team. He had some great things to say about Gill’s potential as a leader,” a report by Hindustan Times claimed from a BCCI source.

India’s squad for Test series against England

Recently, India named their squad for the Test series against England recently, which saw a massive change in leadership. Gill is set to be India’s full-time Test captain, while Rishabh Pant will be his deputy. Apart from them, there are some highly talented players who have not played a lot of matches at the highest level.

The Indian squad has gone with Sai Sudharsan and Abhimanyu Easwaran, who are yet to make their Test debut. Likewise, there are players like Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made their debuts in the 2023-25 cycle.

A couple of players, such as Karun Nair and Shardul Thakur, have made a return to the Test side. Regulars like KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, Mohammed Siraj, and Gill are also in the XI. India’s selection for the first Test could depend on how the players perform in the practice matches and India A’s matches.

Disclaimer: This latest news is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.

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