In a major decision before India's forthcoming cricket engagements, young talent Shubman Gill has been pulled out of the India A team that is set to face the visiting England Lions. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is said to desire to maintain the young opener fresh, particularly because he is being readied for an important leadership position in the days to come.

Gill, who led the Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2024 season, was originally included in the India A team for the red-ball series to provide more playing time to senior team prospects before international commitments. But in a report by Hindustan Times, the BCCI has withdrawn him from the series in order to keep him refreshed in terms of workload and to keep him mentally and physically prepared for senior team responsibilities.

The decision reflects the board's increasing faith in Gill being a long-term captaincy prospect, with the eye perhaps on the series against Bangladesh later this year or even the big-ticket Test series against Australia next year. It is learned that while ensuring Gill does not burn out, given a demanding IPL season and a lot of expectations from him across formats, is the key priority of the BCCI.

At the same time, in a sudden turn of events, T Dilip, who was recently dropped as the Indian senior team's fielding coach, will make a return. He will be joining the setup with India A, and many perceive this as a strategic move by the BCCI to ensure experienced hands in the national set-up.

Dilip's sack after India's T20 World Cup campaign raised many eyebrows, given that he was thought to be the player most responsible for upgrading India's fielding standards. Being reappointed in the India A setup might be a signal of the board still thinking high of him, which may be a sign towards a return with the seniors in the future.

As India's cricket landscape changes with a combination of youth and experience, both the workload management of Shubman Gill and T Dilip's understated comeback attest to the backroom work done by the BCCI in shaping a long-term and high-quality team in all formats.