NEW DELHI: The Indian Test team has officially stepped into its much-anticipated transition period, with Shubman Gill named captain for the upcoming five-match series in England. Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been appointed vice-captain. The squad also features Karun Nair, marking his return to the national fold after eight years. Nair, who last represented India in 2017, was dropped soon after becoming only the second Indian to notch a triple century in Test cricket.Among the notable omissions for the England tour, Shreyas Iyer’s absence stood out. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained the decision, saying: “Shreyas had a good one-day series, played well in domestic as well but right now there’s no room in Test cricket.”India head coach Gautam Gambhir addressed Iyer’s exclusion for the first time on Wednesday.“Mai selector nahi hun (I am not a selector),” was Gambhir’s sharp retort to a journalist asking about Iyer’s omission from the squad.
Iyer’s leadership skills will be under the spotlight when Punjab Kings take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025 on Thursday — a high-stakes clash between two confident teams.
With the cushion of a top-two finish, both sides are expected to go all out, aware that even a defeat in this match would offer another shot at making the final.Punjab Kings are navigating uncharted waters, having qualified for the play-offs for the first time since 2014. But under the leadership of Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting, they’re unburdened by past failures.
RCB, in contrast, are no strangers to the heartbreaks of knockout games and, like every season, will aim to finally break their title jinx. As the teams themselves have stated, the job remains “only half done.”The Iyer-Ponting duo has sparked a remarkable turnaround for Punjab Kings, a franchise that has long struggled for consistency but now seems to have found its rhythm.
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