Team India kick off the new World Test Championship cycle on Friday when the side takes on England in the first match of the five-Test series in Headingley. The match also begins a new era for Indian cricket, with Shubman Gill as captain and Rishabh Pant being named his deputy. With both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from the format, India have officially entered a transitional era in Tests, and the side will be aiming to make a strong statement from the outset as they meet Ben Stokes' men.
Ahead of the clash, Gill has received words of support from his senior teammate KL Rahul, who has been an integral part of India's red-ball setup for many years. Rahul has led India in select Test matches, too, and is expected to play a key role in India's leadership group to help smooth the transition. Rahul revealed that he communicated to Gill the moment he was announced as India's next Test captain.
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“I reached out to Shubman the minute the team was announced, and when he was announced (as) the captain. (I told him) You will always find me around, any help, any guidance, if you need someone to share something with or talk to, I'm always there. But I believe you need to give people their space to really follow their gut instinct. If they need help, I'm always there,” Rahul told Sony Sports Network.
{{/usCountry}}“I reached out to Shubman the minute the team was announced, and when he was announced (as) the captain. (I told him) You will always find me around, any help, any guidance, if you need someone to share something with or talk to, I'm always there. But I believe you need to give people their space to really follow their gut instinct. If they need help, I'm always there,” Rahul told Sony Sports Network.
{{/usCountry}}The Indian batter also stressed the importance of playing as a unit and promoting collective responsibility for results.
“We have been together. (If) We don't get results our way, somewhere along the way, everyone makes mistakes. That's not going to change. We are going to try and help out everyone in the team. I'm always there,” said the batter.
New era
A significant narrative around India's tour of England is built on India's generational transition, and there's no shortage of reasons behind it. In addition to Rohit and Kohli's Test retirements, India are also expected to hand debut caps to multiple players throughout the series. Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh have received maiden call-ups for the five-match rubber, while Karun Nair, who last played for India in 2017, has also returned to the squad.
In their last tour to England in 2021, India led 2-1 after four Tests before the fifth and final match in Manchester was postponed due to Covid-19. England eventually equalised the series the next year.