The 25-year-old Shubman Gill became India's fifth youngest captain in the Test cricket. Shubman Gill has been appointed India's Test captain ahead of the England tour which is set to start from June 20. Meanwhile, Team India's Chief selector Ajit Agarkar has shed light on the decision to appoint Shubman Gill as India's new Test captain for the upcoming five-match series against England. While acknowledging that Gill might face challenges in his debut assignment as skipper due to the demanding English conditions, Agarkar emphasised that the move is part of a broader, long-term strategy. The BCCI officially announced the 25-year-old as Test captain. He steps into the role following Rohit Sharma's retirement from Test cricket on May 7. It's understood that the selection committee carefully considered various factors before entrusting Gill with the leadership.
You don't pick Captains for 1-2 tours: Ajit Agarkar on Shubman Gill's appointment as India's Test captain
During a press conference, Agarkar clarified that Gill's captaincy isn't solely focused on the immediate England tour. Instead, it's viewed as a significant investment in the future of Indian cricket, recognising the substantial growth Gill has demonstrated over the past two years.
"You don't pick Captains for 1-2 tours. You want to invest in something that is going to help us going forward. We have seen some progress in him over the last 2 years. There is no doubt, it is going to be tough doing a 5 match series in England. Maybe we will have to learn on the job a little, but we are very confident and that is the reason we are picking him," Agarkar said in the press conference on May 24.
While Gill hasn't led India in red-ball cricket before, he gained captaincy experience during a five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe in 2024. Furthermore, Gill brings leadership acumen from the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he captains Gujarat Titans (GT).
Gill has been steadily moving into leadership positions, having served as vice-captain in both One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). Notably, he was Rohit Sharma's deputy during India's successful 2025 Champions Trophy campaign in the UAE earlier this year. The Punjab-born cricketer has played 32 Test matches, amassing 1,893 runs, which include five centuries. Looking ahead, Rohit Sharma will continue to lead the ODI side, while Gill will take charge of the Test team and Suryakumar Yadav will captain the T20I squad.
India's Test squad has undergone a massive revamp with Gill's elevation to captain and Rishabh Pant named his deputy. The revamped team features a blend of new talent and returning players. Sai Sudharsan has earned his maiden Test call-up, while Karun Nair makes a comeback after a five-year absence. Abhimanyu Easwaran also finds his way back into the squad.
The tour of England is set to kick off the first Test at Headingley, Leeds, starting on June 20. Many of the selected players are currently involved in the final stages of IPL 2025, which concludes on June 3.
India's Test squad for England tour:
Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk/vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.