The upcoming England tour is an exam for new Test Captain Shubman Gill and his success as this new role may depend on his own batting performance, reckons former India selector Saba Karim on Sunday. India kick-started a new era in Test cricket with the appointment of Gill as captain following retirements of stalwarts such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin in quick succession.
Gill is a gifted player but he is yet to flourish as a Test batter, managing just 1,893 runs in 32 Tests at an average just under 32, with four centuries.
While his technique is compact and batting has flair, he's yet to deliver the kind of consistent, match-winning performances that mark elite Test batters. Yet, Saba Karim remains confident.
"This is an examination for him. I am sure he's ready and up for it. This is a big opportunity for him as a player. He needs to perform with the bat there, if he is able to do so then automatically his captaincy will also flourish," Karim said on the sidelines of FIT India: Sunday on Cycle event. The former wicket-keeper batter however, sees the bigger picture. He acknowledged the balance in the current Indian squad, especially the mix of young blood and experienced names.
"I do expect some good results from this young Indian side. The matches will really competitive and I think they are ready for it," he added. Karim also praised Karun Nair for his double hundred against England Lions and named Sai Sudharsan as the batter to watch out for alongside Nair in the series.
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"Karun (Nair) played well, he now has experience. Sai seems to have grown in stature as an all-format cricketer. He is gaining experience now, I am excited to see how this combination does in England." In the bowling department, India will miss seasoned Mohammad Shami, who remains out due to fitness concerns. Punjab pacer Arshdeep Singh is part of the squad and is expected to make an impact.
"He (Arshdeep) is a very talented seamer, the previous experience in England will help him and the conditions as well team had to look beyond Shami and I think they picked the right guy, excited to see him in action as well," he said. Karim was the chief guest at the 25th edition of the Fit India Sunday cycle event.
"Such initiatives are crucial in inspiring people to make fitness a priority and build a stronger, healthier nation. It's great to see widespread community involvement and enthusiasm," he concluded.
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