Former England captain Michael Vaughan is known to give controversial statements and always rub the Indians the wrong way. His latest statement on appointing Shubman Gill as vice-captain and not captain for the upcoming India Tour of England has created a controversy. Notably, Gill is the front-runner to replace Rohit Sharma as India's next Test captain for the upcoming England tour starting on June 20.
Taking to social media X, Vaughan said, "If I was India I would give the captaincy to Virat for the Test series in England. Shubman Gill can be his VC for the tour."
However, Vaughan's wish will not come true, as Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket today. While everyone thought the 36-year-old would play against England for the final time, Kohli shook the cricketing fraternity by stepping away from the format he loves the most - Test cricket.
Shubman Gill likely to take over Test captaincy from Rohit Sharma
At the moment, Shubman Gill is a heavy favorite to be announced as the next Test captain. Notably, Jasprit Bumrah, who captained in the majority of the Tests Down Under, is set to be named his vice-captain, as the BCCI does not want to overburden him with additional responsibility. The speedster broke his back during the five-match Test tour of Australia Down Under, as he could not fully play the decider fifth and last Test due to a back injury.
Also Read: Why Did Virat Kohli Retire from Test Cricket?
Apart from Bumrah, Gill is the second most experienced player in the Indian team after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's retirement from Tests. Also, the Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper is earmarked as the future skipper by the BCCI on a long-term basis. Apart from Gill, Rishabh Pant is the other candidate for captaincy. The southpaw has a stellar record in Tests, scoring over 2500 runs at an average of 43. However, his indifference of late is going against him. Also, the wicketkeeper batter has struggled for timing in the IPL 2025 season for LSG, managing to score just one 50-run knock in 11 innings.
Also Read: IPL 2025: Gujarat Titans restart training, as teams await green signal on IPL resumption
The BCCI is set to announce Rohit's replacement on May 23 in a grand press conference. Also, at the same time, the squad for the England tour will also be announced.
