Shubman Gill Sets the Tone as India’s New Test Captain Ahead of England Tour
Shubman Gill was calm, composed, and confident as he addressed the media for the first time since being appointed India’s new Test captain. Sitting alongside the strong-minded head coach Gautam Gambhir, Gill exuded the qualities he hopes to bring into the dressing room on India’s challenging five-Test tour of England — clarity and security.
The stage was the same one where Ajit Agarkar, India’s chief selector, had officially announced Gill as Rohit Sharma’s successor less than two weeks ago. Now, at just 25 years old, Gill steps into leadership at a critical time for Indian Test cricket.
“There is no particular style of captaincy that I want to follow,” Gill said in Mumbai when asked about his leadership philosophy. “The more you play, the more experience you gain. Your personal style naturally becomes visible.
What I value is communication with players, ensuring they feel secure, and offering clarity about their roles and strengths. Bonding with your teammates is crucial — if your players feel secure, they’ll give 100%.”
Gill praised Rohit Sharma’s leadership style:
“Rohit bhai was always clear about what he wanted from the players — that was one of his greatest strengths. I would like to inherit that quality.”
He also stressed the importance of leading by example:
“As a captain, you want your performance to inspire your team, no matter the match or situation.”
A Big Test for a Young Captain
Gill acknowledged the size of the challenge he faces:
“It’s a great challenge to start my captaincy with such a big tour.”
India missed out on a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, following disappointing losses at home to New Zealand and away to Australia. Now, with a new WTC cycle beginning, the England series offers India a fresh start.
Gill said he was “overwhelmed” upon learning of his appointment, which makes him India’s fifth-youngest Test captain — and the youngest since Ravi Shastri briefly led India in 1988.
While Gill answered questions with composure, his repeated use of “sir” at the start of each reply reminded all of his youth and humility.
Handling Pressure and a New-Look Team
“There is pressure on every tour,” Gill said when asked about the weight of expectations.
“It’s tough to replace the experienced players who won us so many matches, but the pressure is no different. Our players are used to competing under pressure. We have a great blend of experience and talent in both batting and bowling.”
Gill also confirmed that the batting order — including his own position and the successor to Virat Kohli at No. 4 — will be finalised during the 10-day camp in London, with an intra-squad match scheduled from June 13 to 16.
“We haven’t decided the batting order yet — we still have time. We’ll assess things during the camp and the practice match.”
Selection Dynamics
India’s 18-member squad includes uncapped batter B Sai Sudharsan, a recall for Karun Nair (last played a Test 8 years ago), and Abhimanyu Easwaran. In the allrounders’ department, the selectors opted for Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, and the ever-reliable Ravindra Jadeja — providing a balanced mix of spin and pace options.
Head coach Gambhir emphasised that conditions at Lord’s would heavily influence the final XI:
“It’s not just the pitch conditions that matter — the overhead conditions at Lord’s play a big role. The XI will be selected based on who can deliver results, whether it’s a spin-bowling or seam-bowling allrounder.
Remember, you win Tests by taking 20 wickets. You can score 1000 runs, but unless you take 20 wickets, you can’t win.”
Bazball Brings Opportunity
England’s aggressive batting style — known as Bazball under coach Brendon McCullum — could present both a challenge and an opportunity for India. Gill echoed Jasprit Bumrah’s earlier views that such an approach could lead to “heaps of wickets” if exploited smartly.
“Yes, they play a certain way,” Gill said.
“We saw that in India. But it’s exciting — it gives us opportunities. If we execute our plans proactively, we can put them under serious pressure.”
Looking Ahead
India remains ranked No. 1 in ODIs and T20Is under seasoned leaders. Now, a new era of Test cricket begins with Gill at the helm, and the WTC cycle culminating in two years offers him a valuable window to build his leadership.
At just 27 when this cycle ends, Gill has time on his side — but also the burden of expectations. The coming weeks in England will be the first true test of whether he can translate the calm and clarity he displayed off the field into on-field success as India’s newest Test captain.
