Shubman Gill has been appointed as India’s new Test captain, marking a generational shift in leadership. This decision comes as India moves forward without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who recently retired from Test cricket. Gill’s appointment signals a new era for Indian cricket, with a fresh squad structure for the upcoming England series.
Shubman Gill Leads the Charge
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s retirement from Test cricket marks the end of an era for India, leaving a leadership void in the team. In response, the BCCI has appointed Shubman Gill as the new Test captain, signaling a transition to a younger squad.
Gill, known for his composure and adaptability, has steadily grown into a dependable player despite challenges in recent Test series. His appointment reflects a strategic move to build India’s future in red-ball cricket.
Sriram Veera stated, “It’s not often that a player who was nearly dropped just a year back becomes the Test captain. It’s definitely not often that a player who was dropped from the playing XI midway during the last Test series that India played, just months back, becomes the captain. But here we are, due to the big-ticket retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli along with the selectors’ lack of confidence in the other captaincy candidates – Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant – that Shubman Gill, 24, has been anointed as India’s Test captain.”
Shubman Gill-led #TeamIndia are READY for an action-packed Test series 💪
A look at the squad for India Men’s Tour of England 🙌#ENGvIND | @ShubmanGill pic.twitter.com/y2cnQoWIpq
— BCCI (@BCCI) May 24, 2025
Karun Nair’s Stunning Comeback
At 33, after a sensational domestic season, Karun Nair’s made it into the squad again. His triple-century in 2016 still lives in the minds of fans. He last played for India in March 2017 during a home series against Australia. Nair earned his spot through strong domestic performances, playing a crucial role in Vidarbha’s Ranji Trophy title win. He finished the season with 863 runs at an average of over 53, securing his comeback to the national team.
Other Notable Inclusions
Another name turning heads is Bengal opener Abhimanyu Easwaran. A consistent performer in domestic cricket, he now gets a real shot at the big stage. Shardul Thakur, a man for all seasons, returns after dominating the Ranji circuit. His versatility adds depth to both batting and bowling departments.
Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh have earned their maiden Test call-ups for India’s upcoming series against England. Arshdeep, a regular in India’s white-ball squads, impressed selectors with his consistent performances and ability to generate natural variations. Sudharsan, one of the most reliable young batters in domestic cricket, has already represented India in limited-overs formats and now gets his first opportunity in red-ball cricket.
Shami’s Surprising Absences
Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami didn’t make the cut due to injury, while Shreyas Iyer was left out despite flashes of brilliance in the past year. Jasprit Bumrah’s absence from a leadership role has also raised eyebrows, especially considering his past stints as captain.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar cites workload management as the main reason behind Mohammed Shami’s exclusion from the India squad for the England tour – “His workload is not what it needs to be. At the moment he is not fit. He’s had a little bit of a setback over the past week, got some MRIs done. Wasn’t going to be able to play five Tests. Don’t think his workload is where he needs to be. Medical guys told he’ll be ruled out. We were hoping he’ll play some part, but if he’s not fit, we’d rather pick guys fit and available rather than waiting.”
Full India squad: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, B Sai Sudarsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
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