BCCI appoints Shubman Gill as India's new Test captain for England series

Gill's first Test assignment as red ball captain will be a challenging one, going up against England on British soil, starting June 20

Shubman Gill has been appointed as the new Test captain on Saturday of the Indian cricket team, succeeding Rohit Sharma, who announced his retirement from Test cricket in May 2025. Gill will lead 18-man squad for India's tour of England, starting June 20.  The 25-year-old opener, known for his calm demeanor and impressive batting skills, has been a consistent performer in the longest format, amassing over 1,800 runs in 32 Tests.  His leadership credentials have been bolstered by his role as captain of the Gujarat Titans in the IPL, where he demonstrated tactical acumen and composure under pressure. Gill's appointment marks the beginning of a new era for Indian Test cricket.  Gill's first Test assignment as red ball captain will be a challenging one, going up against England on British soil. The 5-match Test series will begin from June 20 onwards in what will be the first series without India's two Test legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.  Big moment for Indian cricket 

The announcement by chief selector Ajit Agarkar marks a defining moment in Indian cricket, as Shubman Gill is named the new Test captain—becoming the youngest to take on the role since Virat Kohli in 2014. Already viewed as a natural successor, Gill steps into the leadership role with prior captaincy experience in T20Is and the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he currently leads the Gujarat Titans. Under his captaincy, GT have impressed this season, holding a top spot on the points table with just a few league matches left. 

 

  Since making his Test debut in the 2020 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, Gill has played 32 matches, amassing 1,893 runs at an average of 35.05, including five centuries. Alongside young talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant, Gill is seen as a key figure in shaping India’s red-ball future.

 

India’s upcoming tour of England also marks the beginning of their campaign in the 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship cycle. The five-match series, to be played at iconic venues including Headingley, Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford, and The Oval, symbolizes the start of a new chapter. With the captaincy baton now in Gill’s hands, India embarks on this new era full of hope, high expectations, and the excitement of what lies ahead. 

Before the five-Test series against England begins, India will play a warm-up match against India ‘A’ in Beckenham.

 

The team last toured England during the 2021–22 season, when the two sides competed in a five-match Test series that concluded in a 2-2 draw.

    India squad for England series: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (WK & VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Eswaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.