Shubman Gill is all set to lead the Indian national team in a five-match Test series against England, with the first Test slated to be played at the Headingly Cricket Stadium in Leeds starting on Friday, June 20.
The batter was appointed as the new skipper for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) cycle after Rohit Sharma stepped away from the longest format in May.
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This will be the first time Gill will be leading the national side in the Test format, and that too against a formidable England side. India haven't won a Test series in England since 2007 and will look to change their fortunes this time around.
Gill has an Indian Premier League (IPL) title to his name with the Gujarat Titans (GT), but has picked success in a SENA Test to be the superior one.
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Shubman Gill picks red-ball success in SENA over IPL
In a recent press conference ahead of the first Test at Headingly, the new Indian captain was asked which among of the two he prioritizes the more - winning a Test series in SENA or the IPL.
Gill made his intentions clear that winning a Test series as a captain in SENA countries is bigger than winning an IPL trophy, as one doesn't get too many opportunities to captain his side in the longest format in countries like South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia.
"Definitely the Test series. You don't get many opportunities as a captain to be able to come to England. IPL comes every year, and you can have a go at it, but you get to captain a series in SENA countries maybe twice, or thrice if you are the best of your generation. So in my opinion, winning a Test series in SENA countries is bigger than winning an IPL trophy."
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Gill would be leading a rather young Indian side with a limited number of senior players in the mix. The batter's records in SENA countries, however, paint a weak picture, as he managed to score just 649 runs in 13 matches, with a mediocre average of 29.50.
The batter's choice to pick winning a Test series in SENA over the coveted IPL trophy once again proves that the longest format will always be the first choice for any upcoming captain, hence proving the age-old proverb of Test cricket being the 'pinnacle of cricket.'