Ravi Ashwin snubs Shubman Gill as he reveals his choice for new India test captain

Ravi Ashwin retired from international cricket in December 2024.

After Rohit Sharma retired from test cricket, Indian selectors are looking for a powerful skipper to lead the Indian Cricket Team in the longest format. According to many, Shubman Gill is the front-runner to be picked as India’s new test captain. However, former Indian spinner Ravi Ashwin has snubbed Gill and named two other players whom he’d like to see as captain.

India are set to clash with England Cricket Team in a five-match test series. The series will begin on June 20. The first test will take place at Headingley in Leeds. The fifth test will be played at Kennington Oval and conclude in the first week of August 2025.

Ben Stokes & Co. are known to dominate in their home conditions in red-ball cricket. Hence, Team India will need a powerful skipper to lead the side. Indian selectors will announce the India squad for the England series and the new skipper in the forthcoming days.

Ravi Ashwin picks Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja as India’s next test captain

During a chat with former Tamil Nadu cricketer Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan on his YouTube channel, Ashwin revealed his two favourite choices for India’s next test captain. Ashwin feels Jasprit Bumrah or Ravindra Jadeja will be good options.

“First of all, everyone is saying that Gill is the captain. Everyone is going in that direction. But there is a loud option in Jasprit Bumrah, and why do we forget about Ravindra Jadeja. If you are willing to go for a new person as captain, I would say why not make him [Gill] an understudy of an experienced guy for two years before handing him the job on a full-time basis,” the former right-arm spinner said.

Ashwin also added that Indian selectors should ask players to showcase their vision for the team through a presentation, as happens in countries like Australia. He also added that Bumrah should be part of the captaincy discussions as he is a national treasure.

“I would say, why not get all three to four candidates and make them do a presentation and ask them each to detail the vision for the team. It happens in countries like Australia. Why won’t we go down that road? Look at Pat Cummins, he also had a back stress fracture, but he is now captaining Australia in Tests and ODIs,” Ashwin said.

“Like that, Bumrah is our national treasure and he should be in the discussion. He should be asked, will you be able to play five Tests? Can you be a full-time captain? I know he had a stress fracture but I am sure he will think about it. I think the hat with his name should be number one in that ring,” he further added.

Notably, Bumrah also led the Indian team during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. The right-arm pacer led the side in the first and fifth tests in Sharma’s absence. He also led the team to victory in the first game – the only match that India won during the series. Jadeja is the top-ranked test all-rounder in International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings.

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