IND vs ENG: 'Listen to everybody, but...,' ex-skipper Kapil to new Test captain Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill is set to embark on a new chapter in his cricketing journey as he takes over the reins of the Indian Test team for the first time. Leading the national side in red-ball cricket is often considered one of the most demanding jobs in world cricket — and Gill has inherited the mantle at a crucial time. The Indian team will take the field without three modern-day stalwarts — Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin, all of whom have retired from Test cricket following India tour of Australia (BGT 2024-25) - which the visitors lost 1-3. Their absence marks the end of an era, and the beginning of a bold, new one under Gill's captaincy.

As expected, the 25-year-old is surrounded by a storm of opinions, advice, and expectations, but among the many voices offering guidance, one stands out — India's first World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev - also one of the three Indian skippers to win a Test series in England.

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"Just go and enjoy yourself. Listen to everybody, but do what you think is best — because the selectors chose you to lead the side,” Kapil Dev said in a message of encouragement in an exclusive interview to WION on Wednesday (Jun 18). “Nobody is better than you at this stage. That’s why you're the captain. Just express yourself,” he added, urging Gill to tune out negativity and play with freedom.

India’s History in England

India’s first Test series win on English soil came in 1971 under Ajit Wadekar, who guided the team to a historic 1-0 win in a three-match series. It wasn’t until 1986 that India conquered England again, this time under Kapil Dev’s leadership, with a dominant 2-0 series win in three-Test series.

Then came a long drought - India failed to win a single Test series in England for the next 21 years — until Rahul Dravid and his men stunned the hosts in 2007 with a memorable 1-0 victory in a three-match series.

Now, 18 years later, Gill and his youthful squad will aim to break the jinx again when the first Test of the five-match series kicks off at Headingley on June 20, marking the beginning of the 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle for India and England.

Since making his Test debut in December 2020, Shubman Gill has shown flashes of brilliance, scoring 1,893 runs at an average of 35.05. Known for his elegant stroke-play and composure at the crease, Gill will now shoulder the additional responsibility of leadership — and a new batting role.

At a pre-match press conference, his deputy Rishabh Pant confirmed that Gill will move down to No. 4 in the batting order, filling the void left by the legendary Virat Kohli. Kohli, who amassed 9,230 Test runs including 30 centuries, leaves behind a massive legacy — and a crucial middle-order position that Gill now inherits.