The five-match Test series against England, beginning June 20 at Headingley, Leeds, will also mark the start of India's campaign in the 2025\u201327 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle \u2014 and the first major challenge of the Gill-Gambhir era.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Manjrekar highlighted the potential harmony between Gambhir and Gill, drawing parallels with the T20I setup where Gambhir is also expected to work with another young captain, Suryakumar Yadav, following Rohit Sharma\u2019s retirement from the shortest format.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cGautam Gambhir, as coach, will enjoy a young captain with him,\u201d said Manjrekar. \u201cYou can see him as a coach when he's playing with Suryakumar Yadav as the Indian captain versus, you know, Rohit Sharma. He'll enjoy that job. So there's going to be a better kind of relationship between the captain and the coach.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Manjrekar further compared Gill\u2019s appointment to the time when Mohammed Azharuddin was unexpectedly made captain in 1989 after Krishnamachari Srikkanth was removed. He believes the situation Gill walks into bears a similar sense of freedom.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe advantage that Shubman Gill has, this team has, it was a bit like the team in the 90s when we went to New Zealand, where Mohammed Azharuddin, out of the blue as a young cricketer, was made the captain. You go with the feeling that you've got nothing to lose.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With the sudden retirements of senior stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from Test cricket last month, India found itself in the midst of a generational transition. Jasprit Bumrah, the other logical contender for the role, reportedly opted out of leadership due to his injury history - a decision that, according to Manjrekar, may have left Gill as the natural, if not inevitable, choice.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe big names have gone, Bumrah is not the captain, Gill, it's almost like Gill had to do the job,\u201d Manjrekar explained. \u201cSo you're not going to feel the pressure. And I think, because India and the selectors made such a big call, they'll back him and be supportive.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With the sudden retirements of senior stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from Test cricket last month, India found itself in the midst of a generational transition. Jasprit Bumrah, the other logical contender for the role, reportedly opted out of leadership due to his injury history - a decision that, according to Manjrekar, may have left Gill as the natural, if not inevitable, choice.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Also Read: <\/b> LIVE Cricket Score<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n