Shubman Gill has been appointed as India’s new Test captain, succeeding Rohit Sharma, who recently retired from the format. The BCCI announced the decision on Saturday, confirming Gill will lead India in the upcoming five-match Test series against England, starting June 20 in Leeds. His appointment marks a leadership transition as India enters a new phase in red-ball cricket.
At 25, Shubman Gill becomes the 37th player to captain India in Test cricket. His appointment also marks a unique milestone—India now has three different captains across formats, with Gill leading the Test side, Suryakumar Yadav in T20Is, and Rohit Sharma in ODIs.
Breaking Down the Announcement
The BCCI has announced India’s 15-member squad for the England Test series, naming Shubman Gill as captain and Rishabh Pant as vice-captain.
Gill’s appointment comes after selectors reconsidered Jasprit Bumrah, who was once a strong contender but has struggled with persistent back issues. Pant remains in the leadership mix, but for now, he will serve as vice-captain as he continues his recovery from injury. KL Rahul and Bumrah previously led the team in temporary roles, but neither was seen as a long-term solution for the Test captaincy.
Shubman Gill’s Test Career So Far
Shubman Gill has played 32 Test matches, scoring 1,893 runs at an average of 35.24, with a highest score of 110. His overseas record remains a concern, with only 649 runs coming outside India. Gill has particularly struggled in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia), where swing, bounce, and seam movement have tested his batting
India is set to face England in a five-match Test series, with matches scheduled in Leeds, Lord’s, Manchester, The Oval, and Nottingham.
Legacy of Indian Test Captains
The series marks another chapter in India’s Test cricket legacy, which began in 1932 under CK Nayudu. Over the years, several captains have shaped the team’s identity, including Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Sourav Ganguly. Kohli remains India’s most successful Test captain with 40 wins in 68 matches, followed by Dhoni and Ganguly, who each secured 21 victories.
Full list of India’s men’s Test captains | ||||||
| No. | Captain | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn/Tied | Win percentage |
| 1 | C K Nayudu | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | Maharajkumar of Vizianagram | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | Lala Amarnath | 15 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 13.33 |
| 5 | Vijay Hazare | 14 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 7.14 |
| 6 | Vinoo Mankad | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 7 | Ghulam Ahmed | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 8 | Polly Umrigar | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 25 |
| 9 | Hemu Adhikari | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | Datta Gaekwad | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | Pankaj Roy | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Gulabrai Ramchand | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 20 |
| 13 | Nari Contractor | 12 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 16.67 |
| 14 | Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi | 40 | 9 | 19 | 12 | 22.5 |
| 15 | Chandu Borde | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Ajit Wadekar | 16 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 25 |
| 17 | Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 18 | Sunil Gavaskar | 47 | 9 | 8 | 30 | 19.14 |
| 19 | Bishan Singh Bedi | 22 | 6 | 11 | 5 | 27.27 |
| 20 | Gundappa Viswanath | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 21 | Kapil Dev | 34 | 4 | 7 | 23 | 11.76 |
| 22 | Dilip Vengsarkar | 10 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 20 |
| 23 | Ravi Shastri | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 |
| 24 | Krishnamachari Srikkanth | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 25 | Mohammad Azharuddin | 47 | 14 | 14 | 19 | 29.79 |
| 26 | Sachin Tendulkar | 25 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 16 |
| 27 | Sourav Ganguly | 49 | 21 | 13 | 15 | 42.86 |
| 28 | Rahul Dravid | 25 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 32 |
| 29 | Virender Sehwag | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 50 |
| 30 | Anil Kumble | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 21.42 |
| 31 | Mahendra Singh Dhoni | 60 | 27 | 18 | 15 | 45 |
| 32 | Virat Kohli | 68 | 40 | 17 | 11 | 58.82 |
| 33 | Ajinkya Rahane | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 66.67 |
| 34 | KL Rahul | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.67 |
| 35 | Rohit Sharma | 24 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 50 |
| 36 | Jasprit Bumrah | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 33.33 |
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