Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra feels Shubman Gill is the heir apparent after his appointment as vice-captain for the India vs Sri Lanka ODI and T20I series. Gill recently led India to a 4-1 series win against Zimbabwe, scoring 170 runs in five games to lead from the front.
Gill’s promotion to the vice-captaincy role was a bit unexpected but it is now believed that the youngster is being backed as the future leader. While Suryakumar Yadav has been given the T20I captaincy ahead of Hardik Pandya after Rohit Sharma’s retirement, the latter will continue to lead in ODIs.
“If we talk about the ODI squad, Rohit is going. Shubman Gill is the vice-captain. Interestingly enough Shubman Gill has been made the vice-captain of both teams. KL Rahul could probably have been made the vice-captain but he is not there, Shubman Gill is there. So it seems like Gill is the heir apparent,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
The renowned commentator noted that Sanju Samson is not in the ODI squad whereas Shreyas Iyer makes a comeback after not being named in the BCCI central contract list. Shivam Dube, on the other hand, finds his place in both teams.
“Sanju Samson’s name is not there here. Shreyas Iyer – he had a very good World Cup, he is there in the team. Shivam Dube is in both teams, both ODIs and T20Is. It means you are seeing a bigger role for him because Hardik Pandya’s name is not there in ODIs,” Chopra observed.
Chopra questioned Hardik Pandya’s future in ODIs after he was left out of the 50-overs team.
“Although ODIs will be played later, Hardik Pandya not being there shows and gives a hint of how he probably sees himself in the ODIs, how much he wants to play the longer format. Remember, he got injured in the last World Cup and didn’t play anything for six months after that. So you never know how his career shapes up,” he elaborated.
Pandya has reportedly pulled out of the ODIs due to personal reasons.
Meanwhile, Washington Sundar bagged eight wickets in five T20Is against Zimbabwe and he was picked in both squads.
“Washington Sundar has come in both teams. I think it’s a very good selection. Washi’s name should be there in Tests as well, he is that kind of a player. The Hyderabad franchise and the Indian cricket team haven’t used him that well but he is good. He did well in Zimbabwe recently. I like this boy a lot,” he said in the same video.
The first T20I between India and Sri Lanka will be played in Pallekele on July 27.
