India’s new Test skipper Shubman Gill will have to lead from the front in absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma but the young team should not be judged too early, feels spin bowling great Harbhajan Singh. The 25-year-old Gill was on Saturday appointed as the full-time captain of the Indian team with Rishabh Pant as his deputy with the new World Test Championship cycle beginning with next month’s England tour. Harbhajan welcomed the choice of Gill as captain but said there are challenges ahead.

“Obviously it is a great move, having a young captain like Shubman Gill who has done well in franchise cricket,” Harbhajan told PTI during the launch of TV show ‘Who’s the Boss’ on Sunday.

“But this is going to be a tough tour, England has never been an easy tour. I hope that Shubman, Rishabh Pant… this is a young team. There is no Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma, suddenly there is a big gap in that team and that also needs to be filled, so Shubman will have to lead from the front,” he said. Harbhajan said Gill’s side should be given time to find their feet and not be judged too early in case they lose the series to England.

“I will also like to ask people to not start judging too early even if this tour doesn’t go their way,” he said.

“It is okay even if they do not win, they will be learning (from it). I have the belief that all those who are going on this tour will get better,” Harbhajan added.

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