IND vs ENG: Shubman Gill surpasses Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli to achieve THIS special milestone in Test cricket

A fresh chapter in Indian Test cricket is officially underway as the BCCI announced on Saturday (May 24) that Shubman Gill will take the helm as the new Test captain. This marks a significant transition following the retirement of cricketing legends Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin. With an 18-member squad revealed for the crucial five-Test series against England, this selection reflects both a sense of continuity and a daring leap into the future.

At just 25 years old, Gill's journey from a promising opener to the leader of India's red-ball team signifies a generational change. Renowned for his calm demeanor and versatility, Gill now carries the dual weight of solidifying the top order while steering a relatively young Test squad through the challenges of English conditions. With Rishabh Pant stepping in as his deputy, this leadership duo represents the bright future of Indian cricket.

As the new and youthful India Test squad gears up for a five-match series against England starting June 20, Shubman Gill will become the fifth youngest captain to lead the national team in Test cricket when he steps out for the toss in Leeds. At just 25, he takes on this role following the unexpected retirement of former Test captain Rohit Sharma. For context, Virat Kohli was 26 when he assumed the Test captaincy in December 2014 after MS Dhoni stepped down, while Rohit Sharma was 35 when he took over the captaincy in 2022.

Youngest captains to lead India in Tests

Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi 21 years, 77 days vs West Indies, Bridgetown – March 23, 1962

Sachin Tendulkar 23 years, 169 days vs Australia, Delhi – October 10, 1996

Kapil Dev 24 years, 48 days vs West Indies, Kingston – February 23, 1983

Ravi Shastri 25 years, 229 days vs West Indies, Chennai – January 11, 1988

Shubman Gill 25 years, 285 days vs England, Leeds – June 20, 2025

As of now, Shubman Gill has participated in 32 Test matches amassing a total of 1,893 runs at an average of 35. Throughout his Test career he has demonstrated his prowess as a batsman by hitting 210 fours and 31 sixes. His most recent appearance on the Test stage was in January 2025 when he faced Australia at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground.

India Squad for England Series

Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc, wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar 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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