'He'll be a mix of Kohli and Rohit': Jos Buttler backs Shubman Gill to succeed as India skipper

Former England white-ball skipper Jos Buttler has backed Shubman Gill to succeed as India’s captain as he reckons he has a blend of both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The statement comes just a couple of weeks after the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) season concluded where Buttler shared a dressing room with Gill in the Gujarat Titans camp. Gill was named as the Indian Test team skipper in May after Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the format.

Buttler backs Gill to succeed

"He's a really impressive player and an impressive young man," Buttler said. "He's pretty calm and measured when he speaks, but [it's] interesting, I feel like on the field he's got a bit of fight about him; a bit of intensity, quite passionate. I think he'll be a mix of Kohli and Rohit.

"Kohli [was] that sort of real aggressive [character], really transformed the Indian team, in your face, up for the contest. Rohit [was] a bit on the other side, a bit more laid back, very cool, calm, collected customer, but with that sort of fight. I feel like, from my time knowing Shubman so far, he'll be a bit in the middle. He's obviously learned from those two guys… but he'll be very much his own man."

Gill was the front-runner for the vacant captain’s post after Rohit’s untimely retirement from the Test format. He oversaw competition from Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul to lead the Indian team during the high-voltage series which starts on Friday (June 20).

Gill has enjoyed a successful spell as the captain of the Gujarat Titans in the IPL having guided them to two Playoffs in three seasons in charge. He was also the Indian captain during the Zimbabwe tour in 2024 where the Men in Blue hammered the African side. However, this will be his first stint as captain in the longer format with his first assignment in Leeds against Ben Stokes’ England.

India tour of England 2025

1st Test: 20 June to 24 June, Headingley, Leeds

2nd Test: 2 July to 6 July, Edgbaston, Birmingham

3rd Test: 10 July to 14 July, Lord's, London

4th Test: 23 July to 27 July, Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester

5th Test: 31 July to 4 August, Kennington Oval, London