India’s red-ball cricket chapter is set for a bold transformation as Shubman Gill Named India’s New Test Captain. The announcement was made by Chairman of Selectors Ajit Agarkar on Saturday, while unveiling the 18-member squad for the upcoming five-match Test series in England, starting June 20, 2025.
In this significant move, Rishabh Pant has been named vice-captain, while seasoned fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of contention for the leadership role due to expected workload management, making it unlikely for him to feature in all five Tests.
Shubman Gill Named India’s New Test Captain: A New Beginning After Senior Exits
Shubman Gill Named India’s New Test Captain after the retirement of Rohit Sharma from Test cricket. Alongside Rohit, two of India’s longest-serving Test legends, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin, have also stepped away from the format. This changing of the guard has opened the door for fresh leadership and Gill, at just 25 years and 258 days, is now the fifth-youngest Indian to take over Test captaincy. Only Pataudi, Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, and Ravi Shastri were younger when they took the reins.
While his experience in red-ball leadership is limited just five first-class matches Gill has impressed in white-ball leadership, guiding Gujarat Titans to the playoffs in the IPL in just his second season as captain.
Ajit Agarkar spoke highly of the young leader: “We are hopeful we’ve picked the right guy. He’s a terrific player, and we trust him to lead the team into a new era.”
Squad Highlights: New Faces and Notable Absences
India’s squad includes two debutants: batter Sai Sudharsan and left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, who have both shown exceptional form in domestic and limited-overs formats. Karun Nair, who scored a triple-century in 2016, has earned a recall after a stellar domestic season. Shardul Thakur, known for his utility with both bat and ball in overseas conditions, also returns.
Notably missing from the squad are Mohammed Shami, Sarfaraz Khan, Devdutt Padikkal, and Harshit Rana. According to Agarkar, Shami was ruled out based on medical advice, as he is not yet ready for the rigors of Test match bowling.
India’s batting depth includes openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, with Abhimanyu Easwaran as a backup. The middle order could feature Gill, Nair, or Sudharsan, depending on combinations. The wicketkeeping duties will be shared between Pant and Dhruv Jurel.
In the bowling department, alongside Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, the pace attack features Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, and debutant Arshdeep Singh. Kuldeep Yadav, returning from injury, is the lone specialist spinner, supported by all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Reddy.
Full Squad for England Series
India’s Test Squad:
Shubman Gill (Captain), Rishabh Pant (Vice-captain, WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
The Road Ahead
The five-Test series against England begins at Headingley, Leeds, on June 20, followed by matches at Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford, and The Oval. With a fresh-look squad and a young captain at the helm, all eyes will be on Shubman Gill Named India’s New Test Captain as he leads India into a crucial overseas assignment, marking the dawn of a new generation in Indian Test cricket.
