Gambhir, Agarkar questioned for Virat Kohli's retirement: 'Maybe they told him if you don't perform...', asks Panesar

The Shubman Gill era in Tests is here, and the first challenge awaits the right-handed batter, who was recently appointed as the Test captain following the retirement of Rohit Sharma from the longest format. The team has already been announced for the five-match series, and the likes of Karun Nair, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran and Shardul Thakur have earned a call-up in the 18-member jumbo squad. Monty Panesar questions Ajit Agarkar, Gautam Gambhir for Virat Kohli's Test retirement (BCCI)

The squad is relatively inexperienced, and not many have experience playing in the swinging and seaming conditions in the UK. However, head coach Gautam Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar have taken a leap of faith by giving several youngsters a chance to prove their talent and capability when the odds are stacked against them. Karun Nair has already vindicated the call made by Agarkar by smashing a double century for India A against England Lions in Canterbury.

However, it is no understatement that India head into the series against England as underdogs and it would be a shocker to many if India ended up winning the series against Ben Stokes and co and put 'Bazball' to rest.

Virat Kohli also announced his retirement ahead of the England series, shocking several fans and pundits. Many believed that the right-hander would take up the challenge of performing in Tests to silence his critics wrong. However, he decided to call time on his Test career on May 12.

Ahead of the five-match series between India and England, Hindustan Times spoke to former England spinner Monty Panesar, who believes he won't be surprised if India manage to beat Ben Stokes' team. He also gave his take on Virat Kohli calling time on his Test career, saying the management might have given him a nudge.

Monty, who was a part of the England squad when Alastair Cook's team defeated India in India in the four-match series, also spoke about Shreyas Iyer's exclusion from the 18-member squad.

Excerpts:

How do you rate India's chances with a relatively young squad?

I think there's going to be a fearless India. A young, fearless India that's going to come, and don't be surprised that they could win the series. I think England cannot take it lightly yet. They'll prefer that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are not there, but look what's happening in the Lions match 557; these guys are fearless, so I think there's going to be a fearless India coming to England.

What do you make of Shubman Gill being made the Test captain? Is he the right choice?

I think they had to go with Shubman Gill. It will make him a better leader, I think he will bat better under some responsibility. Sometimes he gets a bit lazy with his footwork, once he gets to 30 or 40, but when he's responsible, he's captain. I reckon he'll switch on, and we'll see a better version of Shubhman Gill.

Do you think the pitches are going to be flat considering Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes' team likes to score big totals at a brisk pace?

It will be flat tracks, because England will back their batters against the Indian lineup. They want the Test matches to go to the fourth and the fifth day, because it is important for Test cricket that the games go for a long period of times. Both teams have got equal chance of playing entertaining cricket, because I think England want entertaining Test matches.

High-run scoring, England do 'Bazball'. That kind of entertaining cricket, and that's what England want. So, there will be flat pitches, I reckon, throughout the Test series.

Were you a bit surprised with Virat Kohli deciding to call time on his career ahead of the England tour?

I think he was definitely going to play. I think England were expecting, everyone was expecting him to play. I'm surprised he's kind of like bailed out. But maybe the fact that outside off-stump, he's just thinking, well, you know, they may have had a word with him. They said, look, if you don't score well in the first couple of Test matches, don't expect to play all the five. So, he's probably thinking, well, I'll just call it a day and give the youngsters a go.

Who do you see bat at No.4? Shubman Gill or Karun Nair?

It doesn't matter if it's either Karun Nair or Shubman Gill. It'll be either three or four. Karun Nair has played at Northampton. He's done very well. He's done well, obviously, on the Lions trip. You can see the players that they've picked have actually played county cricket. If he goes four or three, it doesn't matter. It's up to Shubman Gill. But that's a strong batting line-up.

India have got these fearless young cricketers coming through. I think another superstar is going to be born in the next five Test matches for India.

Lot of chatter in India about Shreyas Iyer's exclusion. Could he have been the X-factor?

Shreyas Iyer's got a very good technique against flat tracks and bouncy pitches. I think the swinging conditions, maybe his technique doesn't line up at the moment. That's what I think. Because I think his hands are a bit hard. He hasn't got the soft touch, playing late with the swing ball. Seeing the swing early and playing late, he does come hard at the ball.

So, I think technique-wise, his game probably isn't suited for swinging conditions at the moment. And that's why they probably thought that, give some of the other players a go whose game is suited against swinging-seeming conditions. In terms of Shreyas Iyer, to get into the Test team, I think he needs to play county cricket.

If he's serious about playing Test cricket, he needs to find a county and play a season of county cricket. And then, prove to the selectors that his technique is up to standard against a swimming string and ball.

Jasprit Bumrah isn't going to play all five Tests. Did the Indian management miss a trick by not having Mohammed Shami?

I think the problem with Mohammad Shami is he's injury-prone. When he bowls well, he bowled well in the World Cup. But I think that took a lot out of him. He was like, the main guy and I just don't know how long can he sustain injury free and that's the only issue. And I think that's what probably the concern is because he's a brilliant bowler. But can he last all five Test matches? Can he last three Test matches? Can he last back-to-back Test matches?

Is his body strong enough to do it? And I think the selectors probably believe that he's probably gone past that where I don't think he could play back-to-back or three Test matches in a row. Shami will probably play in India because the Test matches only last three and a half days. But that's okay for his body. But to play in a four or five-day Test match, back-to-back, three Test matches, can his body take it? And I think the selectors kind of feel that his body is probably not strong enough to play in consecutive Test matches.

If I had to ask you for a prediction, do you think India will beat England?

It would depend on how Karun Nair performs, he scored a double-hundred against the England Lions. He and Shubman Gill, that middle-order, how they bat. I think the batters who've played county cricket, if they are able to then transform that same form at the international level, then I think India have got a chance to win. But if they just somehow freeze, it's the big stage, it's the crowd, it's playing for India, it's not playing for Surrey or some other county, and suddenly they're not playing the same level like it's for England Lions when there's only like a dog and, you know, one man and his dog.

That, I think, is going to be the deciding factor in how they take on the international arena. If they take it on like they're doing right now, then I think India have got a chance of winning it.

Joe Root has been in remarkable form in Tests over the last four years. Do you see him breaking Sachin Tendulkar's record?

I think if in these 10 Test matches against India and Australia, he does well, then I think he's got every chance. So, I think the next 10 Test matches will define if Root can break it or not.

Lastly, what do you make of 'Bazball'? Has the approach been successful?

In England, it's been a success. And I think outside of England, I don't think it's been that successful. So, I expect, I think they'll produce pitches in a way to suit their backing and their style of cricket in England. But outside of England, I haven't seen it to be successful in Australia or in India. So, maybe, maybe 'Bazball' is only successful in English conditions.

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