Shub Aarambh in Indian Cricket

O here it is, in simple words, Shubman Gill is the new Test captain and face of Indian cricket at the global stage.

- GOMESH S

There was not a tinge of surprise when his name was announced by chief selector Ajit Agarkar on Saturday. It may sound clich é, but the writing was on the wall when Rohit Sharma announced his retirement, and it was pretty clear that Jasprit Bumrah could not play five Tests on the trot.

Unlike some of the previous captains, Shubman is a product of India's rich hinterland. Farming background (unlike many, the Gills were well-off), shifting pastures for better livelihood, driven by passion, pursuit of dream—a story of romance. The 25-year-old was born in a small and nondescript village called Chak Khere Wala in Fazilka district of Punjab, close to the India-Pakistan border. A small speck on the India map. Not anymore, though. As the lore of Shubman grew, so did the name of the village and Fazilka.

Shubman's backroom story is connected with his father Lakhwinder Singh, who was obsessed with the game. He too wanted to be a cricketer but somehow could not. With his son, he could dream again. He was his first coach and taught him to bat at a very young age. Singh, along with the people who tended his farm, used to bowl hundreds of balls every day on a cement pitch prepared for his son in the front yard.