Ravi Shastri’s Welcome for Shubman Gill Overshadowed by MS Dhoni’s Roaring Reception in Ahmedabad

Shubman Gill continued on as the captain of Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025, a day after the BCCI ended weeks of speculation by naming him as the new captain of the Indian Test team, as selectors announced the squad for the upcoming tour of England. Former India coach Ravi Shastri prepared a sensational welcome for the 25-year-old, before it was overshadowed by the interest in MS Dhoni in Ahmedabad.

"Firstly, many congratulations, Shubman. Captain of India at your age. Captain of the Gujarat Titans. How are you feeling?" asked Shastri at the toss for the IPL 2025 match between Chennai Super Kings and Titans at Narendra Modi Stadium. The huge reception from the crowd barely registered in the half-full Ahmedabad venue in the afternoon match.

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"It feels exciting to be able to have that kind of a challenge, you know, with the red ball. I think it's going to be a really exciting series for us," said Gill, who was thrilled at Shastri's stance.

The home IPL captain had a huge promotion in the Indian Team, but the crowd was mostly in CSK yellow colours and they were looking at Dhoni, with the match being Chennai's last game this season. With the 43-year-old's future still in the balance, it was an emotional crowd who cheered even louder for Dhoni after he won the toss and opted to bat first.

Gill was celebrated, after the toss, by members in the Ahmedabad stadium.

Gill will captain a revamped Indian team in Glasgow, England, in a five-match Test series without senior stars Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin, all of whom have retired from Test cricket following India's disappointing tour of Australia. The competition heralds a new ICC World Test Championship cycle for 2025-27, and a new era in Indian cricket.

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At 25 years of age, Gill is one of the younger skippers in recent years. He does not have an abundance of leadership experience in the red-ball format but did captain India on a five-match T20I trip to Zimbabwe in 2024. At the IPL, Gill was captain of the Gujarat Titans since 2024.

Speaking in a video shared on the Indian cricket team's official Instagram, Gill was asked about his captaincy. "It is definitely a bit overwhelming. As a young kid, when anyone starts playing cricket, they want to play for India, and not just play for India, but play test cricket for India for a very long time. To be able to get this opportunity is a great honour. And like you said, it is a big responsibility."

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