Shubman Gill, on day 1 (June 20) of the first Test against England, became only the fourth Indian batter to score a hundred in his maiden Test match as captain on the side. Before Gill, only Virat Kohli, Sunil Gavaskar and Vijay Hazare had achieved the same landmark. Gill, however, is the first one to get a century against England in England in his maiden Test as captain. Apart from him, Hazare had scored his century in his maiden Test as captain against England but in Delhi back in 1951. Overall, this is Gill's sixth Test century.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/jaiswal-is-first-indian-opening-batter-to-score-100-in-headingley-against-england-in-test-1750430166021">IND vs ENG: Jaiswal breaks 58-year-old record with stunning hundred at Headingley</a>By the 80th over, Gill was batting beautifully well on 118 &nbsp;with Rishabh Pant on his side nearing 50. Thanks to them, India already were past 300 for loss of only three wickets.Batting first after losing the toss, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul opened the batting for India and added 52 runs for the opening wicket in the first 15 overs. This is only the second time in India's history of touring England for Tests that they have crossed 50-run mark for the opening wicket at Headingley.The partnership ended when Rahul chased a wide full ball only to be caught at the slips off Brydon Carse. The duo, however, added 91 runs - the highest opening partnership for India at Headingley.Jaiswal, however, scored his hundred before getting out - the first by an Indian opener in Tests at the venue. He was dismissed shortly after the break on a beauty by Stokes which took his off stump for 101.Earlier, India handed a Test debut to Sai Sudharsan after a bumper season in IPL 2025 but he was dismissed on a duck on the stroke of lunch. They also offered a place to Karun Nair who is returning to India set up after an eight-year hiatus.

Before Gill, only Virat Kohli, Sunil Gavaskar and Vijay Hazare had achieved the same landmark. Gill, however, is the first one to get a century against England in England in his maiden Test as captain.

Shubman Gill, on day 1 (June 20) of the first Test against England, became only the fourth Indian batter to score a hundred in his maiden Test match as captain on the side. Before Gill, only Virat Kohli, Sunil Gavaskar and Vijay Hazare had achieved the same landmark. Gill, however, is the first one to get a century against England in England in his maiden Test as captain. Apart from him, Hazare had scored his century in his maiden Test as captain against England but in Delhi back in 1951. Overall, this is Gill's sixth Test century. Also Read - IND vs ENG: Jaiswal breaks 58-year-old record with stunning hundred at Headingley By the 80th over, Gill was batting beautifully well on 118 with Rishabh Pant on his side nearing 50. Thanks to them, India already were past 300 for loss of only three wickets. Batting first after losing the toss, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul opened the batting for India and added 52 runs for the opening wicket in the first 15 overs. This is only the second time in India's history of touring England for Tests that they have crossed 50-run mark for the opening wicket at Headingley. The partnership ended when Rahul chased a wide full ball only to be caught at the slips off Brydon Carse. The duo, however, added 91 runs - the highest opening partnership for India at Headingley. Jaiswal, however, scored his hundred before getting out - the first by an Indian opener in Tests at the venue. He was dismissed shortly after the break on a beauty by Stokes which took his off stump for 101. Earlier, India handed a Test debut to Sai Sudharsan after a bumper season in IPL 2025 but he was dismissed on a duck on the stroke of lunch. They also offered a place to Karun Nair who is returning to India set up after an eight-year hiatus.

Before Gill, only Virat Kohli, Sunil Gavaskar and Vijay Hazare had achieved the same landmark. Gill, however, is the first one to get a century against England in England in his maiden Test as captain.

IND vs ENG: Best India captain in England already? Gill joins elite company with blockbuster hundred at Headingley

Yashasvi Jaiswal has done what no other Indian opening batter has been able to achieve when playing a Test against England at Hedingley, Leeds. The 23-year-old southpaw scored a hundred on day 1 (June 20) of the first Test against England - the first by an Indian opener in Tests at the venue. Before Jaiswal's ton, it was Farookh Engineer's 87 in 1967 as highest score by an Indian opening batter at Headingley in Tests against England. India were 215/2 by teas thanks to his century with skipper Shubman Gill staying unbeaten past fifty in his first Test as India skipper - a dream start definitely. Jaiswal, however, was dismissed shortly after the break on a beauty by Stokes which took his off stump for 101.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tears-grit-and-a-dream-fulfilled-sai-sudharsans-journey-to-indias-test-debut-1750419415817">Tears, grit and a dream fulfilled: Sai Sudharsan’s journey to India's Test debut</a>Batting first after losing the toss, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul opened the batting for India and added 52 runs for the opening wicket in the first 15 overs. This is only the second time in India's history of touring England for Tests that they have crossed 50-run mark for the opening wicket at Headingley. The only other time Indian openers crossed 50-run mark for opening wicket in Leeds was back in 1986 with Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth adding 64 runs.By 20th over, the openers had crossed the previous highest opening partnership mark when Rahul hit a sumptuous four off Ben Stokes. The partnership ended when Rahul chased a wide full ball only to be caught at the slips off Brydon Carse. The duo, however, added 91 runs - the highest opening partnership for India at Headingley.Earlier, India handed a Test debut to Sai Sudharsan after a bumper season in IPL 2025 where he ended with Orange Cap for most runs in the tournament while playing for Gujarat Titans. They also offered a place to Karun Nair who is returning to India set up after an eight-year hiatus.

The 23-year-old southpaw scored a hundred on day 1 (June 20) of the first Test against England - the first by an Indian opener in Tests at the venue. Before Jaiswal's ton, it was Farookh Engineer's 87 in 1967 as highest score by an Indian opening batter

Yashasvi Jaiswal has done what no other Indian opening batter has been able to achieve when playing a Test against England at Hedingley, Leeds. The 23-year-old southpaw scored a hundred on day 1 (June 20) of the first Test against England - the first by an Indian opener in Tests at the venue. Before Jaiswal's ton, it was Farookh Engineer's 87 in 1967 as highest score by an Indian opening batter at Headingley in Tests against England. India were 215/2 by teas thanks to his century with skipper Shubman Gill staying unbeaten past fifty in his first Test as India skipper - a dream start definitely. Jaiswal, however, was dismissed shortly after the break on a beauty by Stokes which took his off stump for 101. Also Read - Tears, grit and a dream fulfilled: Sai Sudharsan’s journey to India's Test debut Batting first after losing the toss, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul opened the batting for India and added 52 runs for the opening wicket in the first 15 overs. This is only the second time in India's history of touring England for Tests that they have crossed 50-run mark for the opening wicket at Headingley. The only other time Indian openers crossed 50-run mark for opening wicket in Leeds was back in 1986 with Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth adding 64 runs. By 20th over, the openers had crossed the previous highest opening partnership mark when Rahul hit a sumptuous four off Ben Stokes. The partnership ended when Rahul chased a wide full ball only to be caught at the slips off Brydon Carse. The duo, however, added 91 runs - the highest opening partnership for India at Headingley. Earlier, India handed a Test debut to Sai Sudharsan after a bumper season in IPL 2025 where he ended with Orange Cap for most runs in the tournament while playing for Gujarat Titans. They also offered a place to Karun Nair who is returning to India set up after an eight-year hiatus.

The 23-year-old southpaw scored a hundred on day 1 (June 20) of the first Test against England - the first by an Indian opener in Tests at the venue. Before Jaiswal's ton, it was Farookh Engineer's 87 in 1967 as highest score by an Indian opening batter.

IND vs ENG: Jaiswal breaks 58-year-old record with stunning hundred at Headingley

The cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) comes every year. But not everyone gets a chance to captain India in Tests outside of home, and even though those who get to live this honour might not have more than one or two series under their belts. The newly-appointed Indian captain, Shubman Gill, feels the same ahead of leading his team out for the first Test between England and India starting Friday (Jun 20) at Headingley in Leeds. When asked about prioritising between winning an IPL trophy and lifting one for India in Tests abroad, he didn’t take more than a second to answer.&nbsp;Gill has won an IPL trophy with Gujarat Titans in its maiden appearance (in 2022) but not as a captain. Besides leading GT in the concluded IPL 2025, where his team finished inside the top four but failed to advance through, Gill led India in five T20Is against Zimbabwe last year, winning the series 4-1. With the marquee England series being his first as a full-fledged captain (in Tests), Gill has a whole new world to explore and excel in.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-2025-sachin-tendulkar-expects-something-special-from-captain-shubman-gill-in-england-predicts-test-series-scoreline-1750403012299">Sachin Tendulkar expects ‘something special’ from India captain Gill on England tour, predicts series scoreline</a> &nbsp;Addressing the media in the pre-game presser, Gill picked one of the two, saying, "Definitely the Test series, in my opinion. You don't get many opportunities as a captain to be able to come to England, maybe two; if you are the best of your generation, maybe three.&nbsp; &nbsp;“And IPL comes every year, and you get to have a crack at it every year. So in my opinion, winning a Test series in England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa is bigger,” he continued.&nbsp;<h2>Setting goals &nbsp;</h2>With no Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma around, the onus would fall on three experienced batters, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and captain Gill himself, to bail the team out in challenging conditions and situations. Without burdening himself much on the captaincy and batting front, Gill said, &nbsp;"Honestly, when I want to go out there and bat, I just want to play as a batsman, not really want to think that I'm the captain of the team, because I think that sometimes puts too much pressure on you. Whenever I'm going out there, I want to play as a batsman and want to want to dominate the opposition and be the best batsman in the series, and that's what I'm trying to look at."

Shubman Gill picks between winning Test series abroad and lifting an IPL trophy

The cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) comes every year. But not everyone gets a chance to captain India in Tests outside of home, and even though those who get to live this honour might not have more than one or two series under their belts. The newly-appointed Indian captain, Shubman Gill, feels the same ahead of leading his team out for the first Test between England and India starting Friday (Jun 20) at Headingley in Leeds. When asked about prioritising between winning an IPL trophy and lifting one for India in Tests abroad, he didn’t take more than a second to answer. Gill has won an IPL trophy with Gujarat Titans in its maiden appearance (in 2022) but not as a captain. Besides leading GT in the concluded IPL 2025, where his team finished inside the top four but failed to advance through, Gill led India in five T20Is against Zimbabwe last year, winning the series 4-1. With the marquee England series being his first as a full-fledged captain (in Tests), Gill has a whole new world to explore and excel in. Also read | Sachin Tendulkar expects ‘something special’ from India captain Gill on England tour, predicts series scoreline Addressing the media in the pre-game presser, Gill picked one of the two, saying, "Definitely the Test series, in my opinion. You don't get many opportunities as a captain to be able to come to England, maybe two; if you are the best of your generation, maybe three. “And IPL comes every year, and you get to have a crack at it every year. So in my opinion, winning a Test series in England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa is bigger,” he continued. Setting goals With no Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma around, the onus would fall on three experienced batters, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant and captain Gill himself, to bail the team out in challenging conditions and situations. Without burdening himself much on the captaincy and batting front, Gill said, "Honestly, when I want to go out there and bat, I just want to play as a batsman, not really want to think that I'm the captain of the team, because I think that sometimes puts too much pressure on you. Whenever I'm going out there, I want to play as a batsman and want to want to dominate the opposition and be the best batsman in the series, and that's what I'm trying to look at."

When asked about prioritising between winning an IPL trophy and lifting one for India in Tests abroad, he didn’t take more than a second to answer.

‘It comes every year…’: Shubman Gill picks between winning Test series abroad and lifting an IPL trophy

Batting giant Sachin Tendulkar has thrown his support behind the new Indian Test captain Shubman Gill to do ‘something special’ on the England tour, starting Friday (Jun 20) at Headingley in Leeds. As Gill embraces his new role, succeeding now-retired Rohit Sharma to become the 37th Indian Test skipper, Sachin asked him to shut all outside doors and pay no heed to all the opinions and noise coming his way. Sachin, who led India across 25 matches during his tenure, advised Gill to back his instincts, follow whatever was discussed inside the dressing room, and stick to the plan.&nbsp;"My advice to him [Gill] would be that he should not worry about what x, y, z is saying," Tendulkar said in a chat with ESPNcricinfo.&nbsp;&nbsp;"His captaincy, whether Shubman is being aggressive, or defensive, or attacking enough, or not a proactive captain, or active captain - whatever that opinion is, it's only an opinion, and it's from outside. I think what he needs to think about is what was discussed in the dressing room - when they are planning something, are they going according to that plan and whether the decision being made is in the interests of the team - that is what he needs to think about and not about the outside world,” he continued.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-end-1st-test-headingley-leeds-preview-shubman-gill-era-begins-as-team-india-launches-quest-for-history-in-uk-1750398005312">IND vs ENG 1st Test, Preview: Shubman Gill era begins as Team India launches quest for history in UK</a> &nbsp;Meanwhile, Sachin also acknowledged how big an honour it is for him (Gill) to captain India in Tests and that he must enjoy this and try and give his best for his country.&nbsp; &nbsp;"The outside world can only give opinions. These guys can go out and play as well, and only the dressing room will have that honour. No one else will have that. I would say, just go out, it's a huge honour, enjoy the moment and give your best for the country and do what is in the interest of the country. Other than that, I would say shut the doors to everything. I think that should be his thought process,” Sachin continued.<h2>Series prediction &nbsp;</h2>Sachin has played plenty of cricket in England. From scoring his maiden Test hundred in Manchester in 1989 to helping India clinch a Test series win on English soil in 2007, the Little Master has seen all.&nbsp; &nbsp;Reflecting on what it was like winning in England against a potent squad, Sachin said everyone contributed to unlocking that massive achievement.&nbsp;As he continued to cherish the memories of that tour, which India won 1-0 (3), Sachin said,&nbsp; &nbsp;"Winning the series was a fabulous, fabulous moment - that is what we strive for. There were multiple good performances by individuals… Zaheer [Khan] played a role. I think everyone coming together and then chipping in at the right time makes a big difference. I still remember we were in the dressing room, celebrating at The Oval, the last Test. These kinds of moments stay with you forever. We're still talking about it 18 years down the line. I hope we're able to do something this series too, so 20 years down the line, we can still talk about it." &nbsp;Meanwhile, predicting the result of the upcoming five-match series, Sachin said, "I have settled for 3-1 to India."

Sachin, who led India across 25 matches during his tenure, advised Gill to back his instincts, follow whatever was discussed inside the dressing room, and stick to the plan.

Batting giant Sachin Tendulkar has thrown his support behind the new Indian Test captain Shubman Gill to do ‘something special’ on the England tour, starting Friday (Jun 20) at Headingley in Leeds. As Gill embraces his new role, succeeding now-retired Rohit Sharma to become the 37th Indian Test skipper, Sachin asked him to shut all outside doors and pay no heed to all the opinions and noise coming his way. Sachin, who led India across 25 matches during his tenure, advised Gill to back his instincts, follow whatever was discussed inside the dressing room, and stick to the plan. "My advice to him [Gill] would be that he should not worry about what x, y, z is saying," Tendulkar said in a chat with ESPNcricinfo. "His captaincy, whether Shubman is being aggressive, or defensive, or attacking enough, or not a proactive captain, or active captain - whatever that opinion is, it's only an opinion, and it's from outside. I think what he needs to think about is what was discussed in the dressing room - when they are planning something, are they going according to that plan and whether the decision being made is in the interests of the team - that is what he needs to think about and not about the outside world,” he continued. Also read | IND vs ENG 1st Test, Preview: Shubman Gill era begins as Team India launches quest for history in UK Meanwhile, Sachin also acknowledged how big an honour it is for him (Gill) to captain India in Tests and that he must enjoy this and try and give his best for his country. "The outside world can only give opinions. These guys can go out and play as well, and only the dressing room will have that honour. No one else will have that. I would say, just go out, it's a huge honour, enjoy the moment and give your best for the country and do what is in the interest of the country. Other than that, I would say shut the doors to everything. I think that should be his thought process,” Sachin continued. Series prediction Sachin has played plenty of cricket in England. From scoring his maiden Test hundred in Manchester in 1989 to helping India clinch a Test series win on English soil in 2007, the Little Master has seen all. Reflecting on what it was like winning in England against a potent squad, Sachin said everyone contributed to unlocking that massive achievement. As he continued to cherish the memories of that tour, which India won 1-0 (3), Sachin said, "Winning the series was a fabulous, fabulous moment - that is what we strive for. There were multiple good performances by individuals… Zaheer [Khan] played a role. I think everyone coming together and then chipping in at the right time makes a big difference. I still remember we were in the dressing room, celebrating at The Oval, the last Test. These kinds of moments stay with you forever. We're still talking about it 18 years down the line. I hope we're able to do something this series too, so 20 years down the line, we can still talk about it." Meanwhile, predicting the result of the upcoming five-match series, Sachin said, "I have settled for 3-1 to India."

Sachin, who led India across 25 matches during his tenure, advised Gill to back his instincts, follow whatever was discussed inside the dressing room, and stick to the plan.

Sachin Tendulkar expects ‘something special’ from India captain Gill on England tour, predicts series scoreline

The Shubman Gill era begins in Indian Cricket. The Prince, the successor or whatever the fans and cricket fanatics wish to call him, the time has come for him to carry forward the vast legacy left behind by countless Indian captains. As Gill embraces his new role in the Test side, alongside a newer batting position, as also confirmed by his deputy Rishabh Pant in the pre-match presser, he aims to launch a quest for creating history in the UK by winning his maiden series as the skipper, the last of which came under Rahul Dravid’s captaincy in 2007, when India won the three-match series 1-0.&nbsp;Here is the match preview of the first Test between India and England starting Friday (Jun 20) at Headingley in Leeds.<h2>Match Preview &nbsp;</h2>Team India begins its new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle (2025-27) with an away tour of England, consisting of five Tests. With Headingley in Leeds staging the series opener, India has a crucial task at hand to deliver at the start and remain in line for a series win in the UK for the first time in 18 years.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wi-vs-aus-2025-australia-drop-former-world-number-one-batter-marnus-labuschagne-for-first-test-against-west-indies-steve-smith-finger-injury-1750394458847">Australia drop former world no one for first Test against West Indies; Steve Smith also misses out</a> &nbsp;Despite not having Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin (as all are now retired from Tests), alongside seamer Mohammed Shami due to match fitness concerns, Team India picked several newcomers and young legs for their away English tour. With a few uncapped players in the squad, besides those who featured in just a handful of matches thus far, the Gill-led Indian Team has plenty of options to choose from and explore during this two-month window. &nbsp;However, what stands out is the pace attack, led by perhaps the best Indian seamer ever, Jasprit Bumrah. Considering the depth in that department, Gill was confident of winning matches on the back of his bowlers picking 20 wickets across all games, also echoing the same during the presser on match eve.&nbsp; &nbsp;"You can't win a Test match without taking 20 wickets, no matter how many runs you have scored. So, that has been one of our key discussion points, you know, how we're gonna take 20 wickets. And there might be a case, you know, where we could only be going with some pure batters, and you could see a bowling all-rounder and three to four premier fast bowlers or proper bowlers,” Gill said ahead of the first Test against England.<h3>England ready to rock and roll &nbsp;</h3>Despite failing to qualify for the third consecutive WTC Final, which concluded last week (with South Africa beating Australia), England captain Ben Stokes insists on entertaining the fans with their brand of cricket, which the world now calls ‘Bazball.’ &nbsp;Although they have named their playing XI for the series opener against India, it remains to be seen if they deploy caution in their approach at any point during this entire five-match saga. &nbsp;Meanwhile, unlike the Indian Team, which has a new look and shows promise across different fronts, the hosts have a settled batting and bowling attack.&nbsp;<h3>Predicted/Playing XIs – &nbsp;</h3>England – Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue and Shoaib Bashir &nbsp;India (Predicted) – Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (wk), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj&nbsp;

Preview: Shubman Gill era begins as Team India launches quest for history in UK

The Shubman Gill era begins in Indian Cricket. The Prince, the successor or whatever the fans and cricket fanatics wish to call him, the time has come for him to carry forward the vast legacy left behind by countless Indian captains. As Gill embraces his new role in the Test side, alongside a newer batting position, as also confirmed by his deputy Rishabh Pant in the pre-match presser, he aims to launch a quest for creating history in the UK by winning his maiden series as the skipper, the last of which came under Rahul Dravid’s captaincy in 2007, when India won the three-match series 1-0. Here is the match preview of the first Test between India and England starting Friday (Jun 20) at Headingley in Leeds. Match Preview Team India begins its new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle (2025-27) with an away tour of England, consisting of five Tests. With Headingley in Leeds staging the series opener, India has a crucial task at hand to deliver at the start and remain in line for a series win in the UK for the first time in 18 years. Also read | Australia drop former world no one for first Test against West Indies; Steve Smith also misses out Despite not having Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin (as all are now retired from Tests), alongside seamer Mohammed Shami due to match fitness concerns, Team India picked several newcomers and young legs for their away English tour. With a few uncapped players in the squad, besides those who featured in just a handful of matches thus far, the Gill-led Indian Team has plenty of options to choose from and explore during this two-month window. However, what stands out is the pace attack, led by perhaps the best Indian seamer ever, Jasprit Bumrah. Considering the depth in that department, Gill was confident of winning matches on the back of his bowlers picking 20 wickets across all games, also echoing the same during the presser on match eve. "You can't win a Test match without taking 20 wickets, no matter how many runs you have scored. So, that has been one of our key discussion points, you know, how we're gonna take 20 wickets. And there might be a case, you know, where we could only be going with some pure batters, and you could see a bowling all-rounder and three to four premier fast bowlers or proper bowlers,” Gill said ahead of the first Test against England. England ready to rock and roll Despite failing to qualify for the third consecutive WTC Final, which concluded last week (with South Africa beating Australia), England captain Ben Stokes insists on entertaining the fans with their brand of cricket, which the world now calls ‘Bazball.’ Although they have named their playing XI for the series opener against India, it remains to be seen if they deploy caution in their approach at any point during this entire five-match saga. Meanwhile, unlike the Indian Team, which has a new look and shows promise across different fronts, the hosts have a settled batting and bowling attack. Predicted/Playing XIs – England – Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue and Shoaib Bashir India (Predicted) – Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (wk), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj

Here is the match preview of the first Test between India and England starting Friday (Jun 20) at Headingley in Leeds.

IND vs ENG 1st Test, Preview: Shubman Gill era begins as Team India launches quest for history in UK

Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar has an invaluable piece of advice for Indian batters as they get ready for the first of five Tests against England in Headingley, Leeds from June 20. Tendulkar, who played 17 Tests in England and scored 1,574 runs at an astonishing average of 54.31 with four ton and eight fifties, wants Indian batters to have a 'solid defence' against the England fast bowlers. Such in the inexperience of Indian batters that England batter Joe Root has more hundreds than entire Indian squad combined. India, under newly appointed skipper Shubman Gill, will be hoping to act on Tendulkar's advice.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-1st-test-match-prediction-what-should-india-do-after-winning-toss-and-how-much-is-par-score-1750349099064">IND vs ENG, 1st Test Match Prediction: What should India do after winning toss and how much is par score - check inside</a>"There are three things which one needs to respect: overhead conditions, the wind, and the pitch," he said as reported by ESPNCricinfo. "I feel something that all batters should think about and consider is a good, solid front-foot defence to a fast bowler. If you can defend well on the front foot to a fast bowler, then the rest of the things will fall into place. It is important to keep your hands close to your body, have a solid front-foot defence. The balls which are meant to be hit are, anyway, going to go ahead because they all are attacking players. But the balls which are not meant to be hit, that is when the hands will go away from the body, and a dismissal could cost the game. So a good, solid defence on the front foot is going to be a key factor."Tendulkar also has an advice for Gill and said that he should 'shut the doors' and just focus on what is in the interest of the country."The outside world can only give opinions. These guys can go out and play as well, and only the dressing room will have that honour. No one else will have that. I would say, just go out, it's a huge honour, enjoy the moment and give your best for the country and do what is in the interest of the country. Other than that, I would say shut the doors to everything. I think that should be his thought process," added the little master.

IND vs ENG, 1st Test: Tendulkar also has an advice for Gill and said that he should 'shut the doors' and just focus on what is in the interest of the country.

Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar has an invaluable piece of advice for Indian batters as they get ready for the first of five Tests against England in Headingley, Leeds from June 20. Tendulkar, who played 17 Tests in England and scored 1,574 runs at an astonishing average of 54.31 with four ton and eight fifties, wants Indian batters to have a 'solid defence' against the England fast bowlers. Such in the inexperience of Indian batters that England batter Joe Root has more hundreds than entire Indian squad combined. India, under newly appointed skipper Shubman Gill, will be hoping to act on Tendulkar's advice. Also Read: IND vs ENG, 1st Test Match Prediction: What should India do after winning toss and how much is par score - check inside "There are three things which one needs to respect: overhead conditions, the wind, and the pitch," he said as reported by ESPNCricinfo. "I feel something that all batters should think about and consider is a good, solid front-foot defence to a fast bowler. If you can defend well on the front foot to a fast bowler, then the rest of the things will fall into place. It is important to keep your hands close to your body, have a solid front-foot defence. The balls which are meant to be hit are, anyway, going to go ahead because they all are attacking players. But the balls which are not meant to be hit, that is when the hands will go away from the body, and a dismissal could cost the game. So a good, solid defence on the front foot is going to be a key factor." Tendulkar also has an advice for Gill and said that he should 'shut the doors' and just focus on what is in the interest of the country. "The outside world can only give opinions. These guys can go out and play as well, and only the dressing room will have that honour. No one else will have that. I would say, just go out, it's a huge honour, enjoy the moment and give your best for the country and do what is in the interest of the country. Other than that, I would say shut the doors to everything. I think that should be his thought process," added the little master.

IND vs ENG, 1st Test: Tendulkar also has an advice for Gill and said that he should 'shut the doors' and just focus on what is in the interest of the country.

IND vs ENG: Tendulkar shares 'solid defence' advice for attacking Indian batters

India are ready to start a new journey in Test cricket with a five-match series against England, starting on June 20 (Wednesday). The team will play under their new captain, Shubman Gill. This is India’s first Test series after a 162-day break. The last time they played a Test was in Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT 2024-25). Looking at the last five Test matches at Headingley, teams that batted second have won four times. Teams batting first have won just once. This shows that the toss will be very important, as the pitch mostly helps teams that bat second.Match Prediction: IND vs ENG, 1st Test at HeadingleyIf a team bats first, a score of 250 to 270 runs in the first innings is usually good. In the last five matches, most teams batting first were all out for less than 200.The pitch is good for chasing. In the last five games, the team chasing won four times, and the average target for chasing has been just under 300 runs (298 runs to be precise).Teams batting second have won 80% of the last five matches.Also Read - IND vs ENG 2025: 5 Indian players to watch out for in Test seriesSpinners are effective or pacersPacers have taken about 85% of the wickets in the last five Tests. The pitch at Leeds offers good support to fast bowlers. Apart from Jack Leech's five-wicket haul in both innings against New Zealand in 2022, spinners have not had much success at Headingley.Match ScenariosIf India bat first:India should aim for 300-330 runs in the first innings. With top pacers like Bumrah and Arshdeep, they can try to bowl out England for a low total and set a big target in the last innings.If India bat second:They must try to bowl out England for under 250 runs. A big chase could be tough against England’s strong pace attack at home.If England bat first:England should aim for 330-350 runs in the first innings. This will put pressure on the young Indian side, as many of their batters are still new at this level. England’s bowlers like Tongue and Woakes on their home pitches can make things difficult for Indian batters.If England bat second:If bowling first, England should try to keep India under 250 runs. This will give them the upper hand, as India also has a powerful bowling attack led by Bumrah and Siraj.Predicted Playing XIsEngland (confirmed): Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib BashirIndia (predicted XI's): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj&nbsp;

India is ready to start a new journey in Test cricket with a five-match series against England, starting on June 20 (Wednesday). The team will play under their new captain, Shubman Gill. 

India are ready to start a new journey in Test cricket with a five-match series against England, starting on June 20 (Wednesday). The team will play under their new captain, Shubman Gill. This is India’s first Test series after a 162-day break. The last time they played a Test was in Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT 2024-25). Looking at the last five Test matches at Headingley, teams that batted second have won four times. Teams batting first have won just once. This shows that the toss will be very important, as the pitch mostly helps teams that bat second. Match Prediction: IND vs ENG, 1st Test at Headingley If a team bats first, a score of 250 to 270 runs in the first innings is usually good. In the last five matches, most teams batting first were all out for less than 200. The pitch is good for chasing. In the last five games, the team chasing won four times, and the average target for chasing has been just under 300 runs (298 runs to be precise). Teams batting second have won 80% of the last five matches. Also Read - IND vs ENG 2025: 5 Indian players to watch out for in Test series Spinners are effective or pacers Pacers have taken about 85% of the wickets in the last five Tests. The pitch at Leeds offers good support to fast bowlers. Apart from Jack Leech's five-wicket haul in both innings against New Zealand in 2022, spinners have not had much success at Headingley. Match Scenarios If India bat first: India should aim for 300-330 runs in the first innings. With top pacers like Bumrah and Arshdeep, they can try to bowl out England for a low total and set a big target in the last innings. If India bat second: They must try to bowl out England for under 250 runs. A big chase could be tough against England’s strong pace attack at home. If England bat first: England should aim for 330-350 runs in the first innings. This will put pressure on the young Indian side, as many of their batters are still new at this level. England’s bowlers like Tongue and Woakes on their home pitches can make things difficult for Indian batters. If England bat second: If bowling first, England should try to keep India under 250 runs. This will give them the upper hand, as India also has a powerful bowling attack led by Bumrah and Siraj. Predicted Playing XIs England (confirmed): Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir India (predicted XI's): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj

India is ready to start a new journey in Test cricket with a five-match series against England, starting on June 20 (Wednesday). The team will play under their new captain, Shubman Gill.&nbsp;

IND vs ENG, 1st Test Match Prediction: What should India do after winning toss and how much is par score - check inside

England may have become the most attacking Test team in the world since taking on the Bazball philosophy but skipper Ben Stokes want the team to be 'smarter in those situations' when they are behind in the game. The comments, given to BBC Sport, was made one day out of the start of English summer before they take on India in the first of five Tests to kick off World Test Championship (WTC) cycle 2025-27. England would be hoping to put the young Indian side, led by Shubman Gill, under pressure in Leeds when they face off on June 20."It's just being smarter in those situations when it's obvious that the opposition is on top of us," he said. "We just felt like, as a team, that the area of improvement… is actually soaking up that pressure, and allowing ourselves a better opportunity to then apply the pressure back onto [the opposition] in the way that we know we can.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-eng-listen-to-everybody-but-ex-skipper-kapil-advice-to-new-test-captain-shubman-gill-1750345076760">IND vs ENG: 'Listen to everybody, but...,' ex-skipper Kapil to new Test captain Shubman Gill</a>"When we have lost, we probably look back on those moments [and think], 'Could we have been a lot better at slowing everything down, and understanding where we are in the position of the game to then allow us to play in that natural way that we like to go about things?' Having those reflective moments and honest conversations within the group is what can take teams to the next level," added Stokes.Predicted Playing XIs England (confirmed): Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib BashirIndia (predicted): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj

England would be hoping to put the young Indian side, led by Shubman Gill, under pressure in Leeds when they face off on June 20 in first of five Tests.

England may have become the most attacking Test team in the world since taking on the Bazball philosophy but skipper Ben Stokes want the team to be 'smarter in those situations' when they are behind in the game. The comments, given to BBC Sport, was made one day out of the start of English summer before they take on India in the first of five Tests to kick off World Test Championship (WTC) cycle 2025-27. England would be hoping to put the young Indian side, led by Shubman Gill, under pressure in Leeds when they face off on June 20. "It's just being smarter in those situations when it's obvious that the opposition is on top of us," he said. "We just felt like, as a team, that the area of improvement… is actually soaking up that pressure, and allowing ourselves a better opportunity to then apply the pressure back onto [the opposition] in the way that we know we can. Also Read - IND vs ENG: 'Listen to everybody, but...,' ex-skipper Kapil to new Test captain Shubman Gill "When we have lost, we probably look back on those moments [and think], 'Could we have been a lot better at slowing everything down, and understanding where we are in the position of the game to then allow us to play in that natural way that we like to go about things?' Having those reflective moments and honest conversations within the group is what can take teams to the next level," added Stokes. Predicted Playing XIs England (confirmed): Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir India (predicted): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj

England would be hoping to put the young Indian side, led by Shubman Gill, under pressure in Leeds when they face off on June 20 in first of five Tests.

IND vs ENG: U-turn on Bazball? Skipper Stokes wants England to be 'smarter in those situations'

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.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-england-name-playing-xi-for-hit-through-the-line-pitch-at-headingley-test-vs-india-1750264461375">IND vs ENG: Only four specialist bowlers in playing XI as England ask for 'hit through the line' pitch for Headingley Test</a>"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 EnglandIndia’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.

Gill has inherited the mantle at a crucial time as 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).

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. Also Read - IND vs ENG: Only four specialist bowlers in playing XI as England ask for 'hit through the line' pitch for Headingley Test "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.

Gill has inherited the mantle at a crucial time as 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).

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

As India is gearing up to take on England at Headingley, starting on June 20 (Wednesday), here is a look at the five players who can make a big impact for India in this series.

As India is gearing up to take on England at Headingley, starting on June 20 (Wednesday), here is a look at the five players who can make a big impact for India in this series.

IND vs ENG 2025: 5 Indian players to watch out for in Test series

India Test vice-captain Rishabh Pant has confirmed that newly appointed Test skipper Shubman Gill will bat at number four in the first Test against England which starts Friday (Jun 20). Gill, who started his career as an opener, shifted to number three to take over Chesteshwar Pujara's spot later on. He will now have to fill big shoes of Virat Kohli, who retired from Test cricket earlier last month."I think there is still discussion going on, who is going to play 3. But definitely 4 and 5 are fixed. I think Shubman is going to bat at number 4 and I'm going to stick to number 5 as of now. And rest, we are going to keep on discussing about that," said Pant two days out from the first Test as reported by ICC.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-england-name-playing-xi-for-hit-through-the-line-pitch-at-headingley-test-vs-india-1750264461375">IND vs ENG: Only four specialist bowlers in playing XI as England ask for 'hit through the line' pitch for Headingley Test</a>This is the first time in more than a decade that India will be playing without Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravi Ashwin - all of whom retired following India's tour of Australia (BGT 2024/25). Pant acknowledged India's inexperience but added that it's an opportunity as well."Obviously, it's a new start for us, big people have left. Yes, there will be a gap, but at the same time, it's an opportunity for us to build a new culture from here or take a culture forward from there, just adding to it,” said Pant.“I think being in a great frame of mind, helping the new players to learn and improve themselves in overseas conditions and sharing knowledge with each other, having that care and love in the dressing room for each other — that is something we are looking forward to do," he added.With Gill set to bat at two down, it is a direct competition between Karun Nair and uncapped Sai Sudharsan for the all important number three slot. Nair, following his breakout domestic season, has been handed a recall to national set-up after an eight-year hiatus while Sudharsan, highly backed by experts, just finished IPL 2025 with Orange Cap (highest run scorer).

IND vs ENG, 1st Test: With Gill set to bat at two down, it is a direct competition between Karun Nair and uncapped Sai Sudharsan for the all important number three slot.

India Test vice-captain Rishabh Pant has confirmed that newly appointed Test skipper Shubman Gill will bat at number four in the first Test against England which starts Friday (Jun 20). Gill, who started his career as an opener, shifted to number three to take over Chesteshwar Pujara's spot later on. He will now have to fill big shoes of Virat Kohli, who retired from Test cricket earlier last month. "I think there is still discussion going on, who is going to play 3. But definitely 4 and 5 are fixed. I think Shubman is going to bat at number 4 and I'm going to stick to number 5 as of now. And rest, we are going to keep on discussing about that," said Pant two days out from the first Test as reported by ICC. Also Read - IND vs ENG: Only four specialist bowlers in playing XI as England ask for 'hit through the line' pitch for Headingley Test This is the first time in more than a decade that India will be playing without Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravi Ashwin - all of whom retired following India's tour of Australia (BGT 2024/25). Pant acknowledged India's inexperience but added that it's an opportunity as well. "Obviously, it's a new start for us, big people have left. Yes, there will be a gap, but at the same time, it's an opportunity for us to build a new culture from here or take a culture forward from there, just adding to it,” said Pant. “I think being in a great frame of mind, helping the new players to learn and improve themselves in overseas conditions and sharing knowledge with each other, having that care and love in the dressing room for each other — that is something we are looking forward to do," he added. With Gill set to bat at two down, it is a direct competition between Karun Nair and uncapped Sai Sudharsan for the all important number three slot. Nair, following his breakout domestic season, has been handed a recall to national set-up after an eight-year hiatus while Sudharsan, highly backed by experts, just finished IPL 2025 with Orange Cap (highest run scorer).

IND vs ENG, 1st Test: With Gill set to bat at two down, it is a direct competition between Karun Nair and uncapped Sai Sudharsan for the all important number three slot.

IND vs ENG: Pant confirms Gill will bat at number 4 in Headingly Test but acknowledges 'there will be a gap'

The Indian cricket team is going to kick off its ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle with a five-match Test series against England, starting on 20 June at Headingley in Leeds.Shubman Gill has been named as India’s new Test captain. He will lead the team under the guidance of head coach Gautam Gambhir. Gill’s big challenge is to help India win their first Test series in England since 2007. So far, India have won only three Test series in England — in 1971, 1986, and 2007.As we look forward to the 2025 series between India and England, here are all the key match details:Match Schedule and Venues1st Test: Friday, 20 June – Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds2nd Test: Wednesday, 2 July – Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham3rd Test: Thursday, 10 July – Lord’s Cricket Ground, London4th Test: Wednesday, 23 July – Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester5th Test: Thursday, 31 July – Kennington Oval, LondonAlso Read - <a href="IND vs ENG - Joe Root has more centuries than entire current Indian squad - check stats inside">IND vs ENG - Joe Root has more centuries than entire current Indian squad - check stats inside</a>Match Timings&nbsp;All matches will start at 3:30 PM IST (Indian time) and 11:00 AM local time in England.Live streaming detailsThe India vs England Test series will be shown live on Sony Sports Network.&nbsp;You can also watch the live streaming on JioHotstar.SquadsIndia:Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC &amp; WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit RanaEngland:Ben Stokes (C), Joe Root, Jamie Smith (WK), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes&nbsp;

The Indian cricket team is going to start its ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle with a five-match Test series against England, starting on 20 June at Headingley in Leeds.

The Indian cricket team is going to kick off its ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle with a five-match Test series against England, starting on 20 June at Headingley in Leeds. Shubman Gill has been named as India’s new Test captain. He will lead the team under the guidance of head coach Gautam Gambhir. Gill’s big challenge is to help India win their first Test series in England since 2007. So far, India have won only three Test series in England — in 1971, 1986, and 2007. As we look forward to the 2025 series between India and England, here are all the key match details: Match Schedule and Venues 1st Test: Friday, 20 June – Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds 2nd Test: Wednesday, 2 July – Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham 3rd Test: Thursday, 10 July – Lord’s Cricket Ground, London 4th Test: Wednesday, 23 July – Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester 5th Test: Thursday, 31 July – Kennington Oval, London Also Read - IND vs ENG - Joe Root has more centuries than entire current Indian squad - check stats inside Match Timings All matches will start at 3:30 PM IST (Indian time) and 11:00 AM local time in England. Live streaming details The India vs England Test series will be shown live on Sony Sports Network. You can also watch the live streaming on JioHotstar. Squads India: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana England: Ben Stokes (C), Joe Root, Jamie Smith (WK), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes

The Indian cricket team is going to start its ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle with a five-match Test series against England, starting on 20 June at Headingley in Leeds.

India vs England 2025 Test series – All you need to know about fixtures, venues, live streaming and more

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.&nbsp;<h2>Buttler backs Gill to succeed</h2>"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.&nbsp;"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."&nbsp;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).&nbsp;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.<h2>India tour of England 2025</h2>1st Test: 20 June to 24 June, Headingley, Leeds2nd Test: 2 July to 6 July, Edgbaston, Birmingham3rd Test: 10 July to 14 July, Lord's, London4th Test: 23 July to 27 July, Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester5th Test: 31 July to 4 August, Kennington Oval, London

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. 

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

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.&nbsp;

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

After leading two different IPL teams to finals in successive seasons and winning with one, Shreyas Iyer remained the top contender to replace Rohit Sharma as the new ODI skipper, but on the internet. However, the selectors seemed to have picked their favourite should Rohit decide against continuing in the One-Dayers, and it’s not Iyer but newly-appointed Test captain Shubman Gill.&nbsp;For how the selectors have deployed an approach for the future in Tests by appointing the 25-year-old Gill as Rohit’s successor, even though they had options in Jasprit Bumrah and keeper Rishabh Pant, they could follow the same formula in the ODIs too.&nbsp; &nbsp;Per a report in the Hindustan Times, the selectors are keen on giving an extended rope to Gill, the captain, in the longer formats. Though Suryakumar Yadav remains the T20I skipper, Gill comes into the picture should a decision on SKY’s leadership future be made.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/eng-vs-ind-2025-shubman-gill-is-officially-the-face-of-indian-cricket-it-is-a-bold-move-michael-vaughan-1749474260290">‘Shubman Gill is officially the face of Indian Cricket…it’s a bold move’: Michael Vaughan</a> &nbsp;“Quite frankly, a lot of us thought Rohit wanted to move away from the ODI format after winning the Champions Trophy,” a BCCI official said, as quoted by HT. “There have been no discussions between Rohit and the selectors since over his ODI future.” &nbsp;While India’s next major assignment is the home T20 World Cup next year, also co-hosted by Sri Lanka, they have one eye on the 50-over World Cup scheduled in October 2027 in South Africa. The Indian Team is slated to play 12 ODIs until next year’s showpiece event, where they will defend their title, including three against Australia in October and as many against the Proteas and New Zealand at home, leading to the T20 World Cup.<h2>Rohit’s international career nears end &nbsp;</h2>Rohit is 38, and should he continues to play until the next ODI World Cup, he will be 40 by then. Although it remains unclear for how long he would be willing to stretch his international career, the selectors want to have their options ready in the backend, with Gill leading the race. &nbsp;Meanwhile, after helping India lift its record third ICC Champions Trophy title in Dubai, Rohit squashed all reports of his ODI retirement, indicating that he wishes to improve his fitness and stay in the quest for his ultimate dream – to win an ODI World Cup with India. &nbsp;“I’m not going to retire from this format, just to make sure that no rumours are spread going forward,” Rohit said after India’s Champions Trophy triumph. &nbsp;“I have retired from two formats, but I am still playing one format,” Rohit again said in May when he had a stand named after him at the Wankhede stadium. “When India plays whichever team here (in Mumbai), that’ll make it even more special.”

Sorry internet but selectors have someone else in mind for India’s ODI captaincy than Shreyas Iyer – Report

After leading two different IPL teams to finals in successive seasons and winning with one, Shreyas Iyer remained the top contender to replace Rohit Sharma as the new ODI skipper, but on the internet. However, the selectors seemed to have picked their favourite should Rohit decide against continuing in the One-Dayers, and it’s not Iyer but newly-appointed Test captain Shubman Gill. For how the selectors have deployed an approach for the future in Tests by appointing the 25-year-old Gill as Rohit’s successor, even though they had options in Jasprit Bumrah and keeper Rishabh Pant, they could follow the same formula in the ODIs too. Per a report in the Hindustan Times, the selectors are keen on giving an extended rope to Gill, the captain, in the longer formats. Though Suryakumar Yadav remains the T20I skipper, Gill comes into the picture should a decision on SKY’s leadership future be made. Also read | ‘Shubman Gill is officially the face of Indian Cricket…it’s a bold move’: Michael Vaughan “Quite frankly, a lot of us thought Rohit wanted to move away from the ODI format after winning the Champions Trophy,” a BCCI official said, as quoted by HT. “There have been no discussions between Rohit and the selectors since over his ODI future.” While India’s next major assignment is the home T20 World Cup next year, also co-hosted by Sri Lanka, they have one eye on the 50-over World Cup scheduled in October 2027 in South Africa. The Indian Team is slated to play 12 ODIs until next year’s showpiece event, where they will defend their title, including three against Australia in October and as many against the Proteas and New Zealand at home, leading to the T20 World Cup. Rohit’s international career nears end Rohit is 38, and should he continues to play until the next ODI World Cup, he will be 40 by then. Although it remains unclear for how long he would be willing to stretch his international career, the selectors want to have their options ready in the backend, with Gill leading the race. Meanwhile, after helping India lift its record third ICC Champions Trophy title in Dubai, Rohit squashed all reports of his ODI retirement, indicating that he wishes to improve his fitness and stay in the quest for his ultimate dream – to win an ODI World Cup with India. “I’m not going to retire from this format, just to make sure that no rumours are spread going forward,” Rohit said after India’s Champions Trophy triumph. “I have retired from two formats, but I am still playing one format,” Rohit again said in May when he had a stand named after him at the Wankhede stadium. “When India plays whichever team here (in Mumbai), that’ll make it even more special.”

The selectors seemed to have picked their favourite should Rohit decide against continuing in the One-Dayers, and it’s not Iyer.

With his appointment as the new Test captain, Shubman Gill has eclipsed everyone to become the new face of Indian Cricket, reckons former England captain Michael Vaughan. Since Virat Kohli’s Test retirement, who previously held this post for the longest time, Gill seems to have overtaken him as the Indian cricketer to look out for across formats. The forthcoming England Tests, starting June 20 in Leeds, will be Gill’s first assignment as the Test skipper.&nbsp;Rohit Sharma’s Test retirement came early last month, followed by Virat’s a week later. As they departed from the red-ball scene, India needed a new Test skipper and a hero. Though the BCCI selectors discussed several options, including ace quick Jasprit Bumrah and gloveman Rishabh Pant, they felt handpicking Gill to fill that role was best suited for everyone, with Vaughan also calling it a bold move.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australia-captain-pat-cummins-fumes-as-india-preferred-over-wtc-finalist-to-train-at-lords-report-south-africa-eng-vs-ind-2025-1749467014870">Australia captain Cummins fumes as India preferred over WTC finalists to train at Lord’s – Report</a> &nbsp;“Shubman Gill is officially the new face of Indian Test cricket, stepping up as captain for the England series. It’s a bold move, trusting a young leader with a new-look team after the retirements of giants like Rohit and Kohli. Gill has a lot to prove, especially away from home, but he has shown he has the temperament for big moments,” Vaughan said while speaking on the Sony Sports Network. &nbsp;While Gill is the new Test captain, Pant will play as his deputy.&nbsp; &nbsp;“With Rishabh Pant as his deputy and a squad eager to make their mark, this England tour could be the start of something special for India’s next generation. Don’t be surprised if these youngsters rise to the occasion,” Vaughan added.<h2>Gavaskar backs new Indian Team to bring glory home &nbsp;</h2>India has tasted enormous success outside Asia in the past decade, having won several matches and even Test series on foreign land, but has yet to win one in England since 2007. &nbsp;Although India was leading the five-match series in England the last time they toured before the Covid outbreak forced all action to stop midway, losing the fifth and final one, held several months later, led to the host levelling the series, making India wait for their first Test series win in the UK since 18 years. &nbsp;However, with a new-look Indian Team gearing up to script history, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar backed them to deliver a winning punch this time. &nbsp;“There’s always something special about an Indian team touring England, and this time, with a new young captain and terrific young players, the excitement and anticipation among fans are at an all-time high. Everyone is eager to see how these young cricketers will rise to the occasion and carve out their legacy,” Gavaskar said.&nbsp;

‘Shubman Gill is officially the face of Indian Cricket…it’s a bold move’: Michael Vaughan

With his appointment as the new Test captain, Shubman Gill has eclipsed everyone to become the new face of Indian Cricket, reckons former England captain Michael Vaughan. Since Virat Kohli’s Test retirement, who previously held this post for the longest time, Gill seems to have overtaken him as the Indian cricketer to look out for across formats. The forthcoming England Tests, starting June 20 in Leeds, will be Gill’s first assignment as the Test skipper. Rohit Sharma’s Test retirement came early last month, followed by Virat’s a week later. As they departed from the red-ball scene, India needed a new Test skipper and a hero. Though the BCCI selectors discussed several options, including ace quick Jasprit Bumrah and gloveman Rishabh Pant, they felt handpicking Gill to fill that role was best suited for everyone, with Vaughan also calling it a bold move. Also read | Australia captain Cummins fumes as India preferred over WTC finalists to train at Lord’s – Report “Shubman Gill is officially the new face of Indian Test cricket, stepping up as captain for the England series. It’s a bold move, trusting a young leader with a new-look team after the retirements of giants like Rohit and Kohli. Gill has a lot to prove, especially away from home, but he has shown he has the temperament for big moments,” Vaughan said while speaking on the Sony Sports Network. While Gill is the new Test captain, Pant will play as his deputy. “With Rishabh Pant as his deputy and a squad eager to make their mark, this England tour could be the start of something special for India’s next generation. Don’t be surprised if these youngsters rise to the occasion,” Vaughan added. Gavaskar backs new Indian Team to bring glory home India has tasted enormous success outside Asia in the past decade, having won several matches and even Test series on foreign land, but has yet to win one in England since 2007. Although India was leading the five-match series in England the last time they toured before the Covid outbreak forced all action to stop midway, losing the fifth and final one, held several months later, led to the host levelling the series, making India wait for their first Test series win in the UK since 18 years. However, with a new-look Indian Team gearing up to script history, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar backed them to deliver a winning punch this time. “There’s always something special about an Indian team touring England, and this time, with a new young captain and terrific young players, the excitement and anticipation among fans are at an all-time high. Everyone is eager to see how these young cricketers will rise to the occasion and carve out their legacy,” Gavaskar said.

India has tasted enormous success outside Asia in the past decade, having won several matches and even Test series on foreign land, but has yet to win one in England since 2007.

The Indian Test team has begun preparing for a new life without their two stalwarts, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who announced their Test retirement early last month, resuming training shortly after landing in the UK. As India faces England across five Tests, beginning June 20 in Leeds, they have started to get into the rhythm with their first indoor practice session.&nbsp;Several members of the 18-man squad had already arrived in the country to link with the India-A squad for their shadow tour (against England Lions); the remaining ones, however, led by the new leadership in captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir, landed in the UK early on Saturday (June 7), <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/eng-vs-ind-2025-empty-airport-no-hype-media-fans-as-team-india-lands-in-england-for-marquee-test-series-watch-1749319269251">experiencing no buzz (at the airport) around the marquee series</a>. &nbsp;Despite that, there was no loss of camaraderie and joy within the group that resumed training indoors ahead of the Test series. While the India-A squad, consisting of a few first-team players, including KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel and Yashasvi Jaiswal, among others, are busy playing their second warm-up game in Northampton, those who joined later turned to light closed-door activities to get back to finding rhythm. &nbsp;In a video shared by the BCCI on its social media handles, titled ‘First sight of #TeamIndia getting into the groove in England 😎’, Rishabh Pant and the new skipper Gill are seen walking towards the gate of the iconic Lord’s Cricket Stadium in London. Fast forward a few seconds, the players were doing light exercises, with ace quicks like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj and Prasidh Krishan hogging all the limelight. Head coach Gambhir was also seen talking to the group, while the seasoned all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was recorded training with the team.&nbsp;Watch Video -

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽 𝗕𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀 ✅ First sight of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> getting into the groove in England 😎<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/TZdhAil9wV">pic.twitter.com/TZdhAil9wV</a>&mdash; BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1931561828175228936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Meanwhile, India-A will play an intra-squad game with the senior team starting June 13 before the action gets underway at Headingley a week later.<h2>No Virat and Rohit &nbsp;</h2>Midway through IPL 2025, both star cricketers announced their Test retirements, shocking the cricket world. Although Rohit’s announcement did not come as a shocker as fans were expecting his departure sooner rather than later, Kohli hanging up his boots in Tests broke the internet.&nbsp; &nbsp;Their departure forced the selectors to name a new Test captain in Gill, alongside picking a relatively younger squad for the away England tour.&nbsp;&nbsp;Moreover, seamer Mohammed Shami’s absence added salt to the injury, with the selection committee naming uncapped quick Arshdeep Singh as his backup. They also brought back batter Karun Nair while handing a debut Test call-up to domestic and IPL sensation Sai Sudharsan.&nbsp; &nbsp;Here is India’s Test squad for the England series – &nbsp;Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav

Indian Test team prepares for life without Kohli, Rohit as training resumes in UK for England Tests – WATCH

The Indian Test team has begun preparing for a new life without their two stalwarts, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who announced their Test retirement early last month, resuming training shortly after landing in the UK. As India faces England across five Tests, beginning June 20 in Leeds, they have started to get into the rhythm with their first indoor practice session. Several members of the 18-man squad had already arrived in the country to link with the India-A squad for their shadow tour (against England Lions); the remaining ones, however, led by the new leadership in captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir, landed in the UK early on Saturday (June 7), experiencing no buzz (at the airport) around the marquee series. Despite that, there was no loss of camaraderie and joy within the group that resumed training indoors ahead of the Test series. While the India-A squad, consisting of a few first-team players, including KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel and Yashasvi Jaiswal, among others, are busy playing their second warm-up game in Northampton, those who joined later turned to light closed-door activities to get back to finding rhythm. In a video shared by the BCCI on its social media handles, titled ‘First sight of #TeamIndia getting into the groove in England 😎’, Rishabh Pant and the new skipper Gill are seen walking towards the gate of the iconic Lord’s Cricket Stadium in London. Fast forward a few seconds, the players were doing light exercises, with ace quicks like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj and Prasidh Krishan hogging all the limelight. Head coach Gambhir was also seen talking to the group, while the seasoned all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was recorded training with the team. Watch Video -

India-A will play an intra-squad game with the senior team starting June 13 before the action gets underway at Headingley a week later.

Former Australia great Ricky Ponting reviews BCCI’s appointment of Shubman Gill as the new Test captain, replacing now-retired opener Rohit Sharma. Ponting, perhaps the most successful skipper of his time, having won two World Cups and as many Champions Trophy titles besides winning countless crucial tournaments all over, feels Gill has shown enough leadership skills during his time as the Gujarat Titans skipper in IPL to deserve his promotion in the Test side.&nbsp;Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee handpicked Gill to lead India’s new Test side ahead of ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah, who doesn’t remain a sure starter in all Tests due to his workload management. Speaking on the same lines, Ponting said it’s the right move to hand over the baton to Gill instead of Bumrah, as a team cannot have a captain coming in and missing games for whatever reason.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-bengaluru-stampede-top-kca-officials-take-moral-responsibility-submit-resignations-1749281713761">Bengaluru stampede: Top KSCA officials take moral responsibility, submit resignations</a> &nbsp;"I actually think it's the right move," Ponting said while speaking on The ICC Review. "I know there's a lot of other people out there, pundits out there saying they can't understand why it wasn't Bumrah and why they have gone to Shubman, but I think it's pretty simple.” &nbsp;Jasprit Bumrah has missed plenty of cricket action this year, including the first showpiece event in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy to his persistent back injury. His injury woes forced the selectors to look beyond him as the captaincy option, despite him leading India to its only win on their past away tour Down Under. Even considering his game awareness, the selectors had to let go of this option in picking Rohit’s successor in Tests. &nbsp;"Bumrah's injuries are holding him back a bit in the last couple of years, and you don't want that with a captain. You can't have a captain coming in and missing games here and there, so I think it's I think it's the right decision,” Ponting continued. "Now that they've made it, it's one they've got to stick with and give him a good crack at it for, for a long period of time.”<h2>Ponting pinpoints captain’s role in the team &nbsp;</h2>Having led by example during his time, Ponting understands what the primary roles of a team captain are, and for a batter, scoring runs all the time leads the chart.&nbsp; &nbsp;"Even just looking back at the way he's handled this current GT (Gujarat Titans) team through this IPL, I think leadership sits really well with him. &nbsp;"And the important thing for me with leadership, as well as if you're a batter and you're a captain, you have to be scoring runs. And Shubman is doing that in IPL, and I think the timing is right, and I think you'll have a good captain who’ll make a lot of Test runs going forward,” Ponting noted.&nbsp; &nbsp;Meanwhile, Shubman Gill will lead the new-look Indian Team in the five-match Test series against England, starting June 20 in Leeds.&nbsp;

‘I think leadership sits well with him,’ Ponting reviews Shubman Gill’s appointment as India Test captain

Former Australia great Ricky Ponting reviews BCCI’s appointment of Shubman Gill as the new Test captain, replacing now-retired opener Rohit Sharma. Ponting, perhaps the most successful skipper of his time, having won two World Cups and as many Champions Trophy titles besides winning countless crucial tournaments all over, feels Gill has shown enough leadership skills during his time as the Gujarat Titans skipper in IPL to deserve his promotion in the Test side. Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee handpicked Gill to lead India’s new Test side ahead of ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah, who doesn’t remain a sure starter in all Tests due to his workload management. Speaking on the same lines, Ponting said it’s the right move to hand over the baton to Gill instead of Bumrah, as a team cannot have a captain coming in and missing games for whatever reason. Also read | Bengaluru stampede: Top KSCA officials take moral responsibility, submit resignations "I actually think it's the right move," Ponting said while speaking on The ICC Review. "I know there's a lot of other people out there, pundits out there saying they can't understand why it wasn't Bumrah and why they have gone to Shubman, but I think it's pretty simple.” Jasprit Bumrah has missed plenty of cricket action this year, including the first showpiece event in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy to his persistent back injury. His injury woes forced the selectors to look beyond him as the captaincy option, despite him leading India to its only win on their past away tour Down Under. Even considering his game awareness, the selectors had to let go of this option in picking Rohit’s successor in Tests. "Bumrah's injuries are holding him back a bit in the last couple of years, and you don't want that with a captain. You can't have a captain coming in and missing games here and there, so I think it's I think it's the right decision,” Ponting continued. "Now that they've made it, it's one they've got to stick with and give him a good crack at it for, for a long period of time.” Ponting pinpoints captain’s role in the team Having led by example during his time, Ponting understands what the primary roles of a team captain are, and for a batter, scoring runs all the time leads the chart. "Even just looking back at the way he's handled this current GT (Gujarat Titans) team through this IPL, I think leadership sits really well with him. "And the important thing for me with leadership, as well as if you're a batter and you're a captain, you have to be scoring runs. And Shubman is doing that in IPL, and I think the timing is right, and I think you'll have a good captain who’ll make a lot of Test runs going forward,” Ponting noted. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill will lead the new-look Indian Team in the five-match Test series against England, starting June 20 in Leeds.

Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee handpicked Gill to lead India’s new Test side ahead of ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah, who doesn’t remain a sure starter in all Tests due to his workload management.

India Test captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir have underlined several factors that will determine Jasprit Bumrah’s playing time on the forthcoming England tour. With the first of the five Tests beginning June 20 in Leeds, the Indian Team will bank on Bumrah to help them deliver the first punch, like how he did on their previous away tour Down Under.&nbsp;Though Bumrah excelled against Australia in Australia, picking 32 wickets in four matches before suffering a back injury that ruled him out of the final SCG Test, the team doctors have advised him against playing all games, or rather several on the trot, to avoid getting into the same position.&nbsp;Even during the squad announcement for the England tour, chief selector Ajit Agarkar revealed what the doctors said about man managing Bumrah's workload in the upcoming series.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/eng-vs-ind-2025-it-s-tough-to-fill-gaps-but-there-s-no-different-pressure-as-such-shubman-gill-on-his-debut-away-tour-as-india-captain-1749197261982">‘It’s tough to fill gaps but there’s no different pressure as such,’ Shubman Gill on his debut away tour as India captain</a> &nbsp;"We haven't taken that call, which three games is he going to play," Gambhir said during a pre-departure press conference, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. "We are going to have a discussion with him, and depending on the series as well. A lot will depend on the results of the series, where the series is heading. That is something which I am sure he is very well aware of as well, and that is important.” &nbsp;However, considering Bumrah can play only three or at max four Tests against England, the head coach and the skipper are confident of maintaining the quality of the bowling attack, having picked several top seamers in Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep and even uncapped quick Arshdeep Singh. The touring team even have backup options in Shardul Thakur and Nitish Kumar Reddy. &nbsp;"I think we have picked enough bowlers, and we have enough pace battery, and a lot of fast bowlers are in a great space to be able to win us Test matches from any situation or any position," Gill said. "Obviously, when you have someone like Jasprit Bumrah, depending on how many matches he would play, whenever he would come back and play the match for us, it would be a great sight for us. But I think we have a great mix of bowlers and a great set of bowlers who can get the job for the team done.&nbsp;"I have said it before during the Champions Trophy (which Bumrah missed and India won) as well, it will give someone the opportunity to put his hand up, and we have got enough talent there. I know that he is quality, but we have got enough quality apart from him as well in the squad," the new Test captain added.&nbsp; &nbsp;Meanwhile, India’s away tour of England is the first series of the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle and will not feature three Indian superstars – Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin, who all announced Test retirements earlier. Test specialist Mohammed Shami will also miss the five-match series due to workload management.&nbsp;

Gill, Gautam underline factors surrounding Jasprit Bumrah’s availability for England Tests

India Test captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir have underlined several factors that will determine Jasprit Bumrah’s playing time on the forthcoming England tour. With the first of the five Tests beginning June 20 in Leeds, the Indian Team will bank on Bumrah to help them deliver the first punch, like how he did on their previous away tour Down Under. Though Bumrah excelled against Australia in Australia, picking 32 wickets in four matches before suffering a back injury that ruled him out of the final SCG Test, the team doctors have advised him against playing all games, or rather several on the trot, to avoid getting into the same position. Even during the squad announcement for the England tour, chief selector Ajit Agarkar revealed what the doctors said about man managing Bumrah's workload in the upcoming series. Also read | ‘It’s tough to fill gaps but there’s no different pressure as such,’ Shubman Gill on his debut away tour as India captain "We haven't taken that call, which three games is he going to play," Gambhir said during a pre-departure press conference, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. "We are going to have a discussion with him, and depending on the series as well. A lot will depend on the results of the series, where the series is heading. That is something which I am sure he is very well aware of as well, and that is important.” However, considering Bumrah can play only three or at max four Tests against England, the head coach and the skipper are confident of maintaining the quality of the bowling attack, having picked several top seamers in Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep and even uncapped quick Arshdeep Singh. The touring team even have backup options in Shardul Thakur and Nitish Kumar Reddy. "I think we have picked enough bowlers, and we have enough pace battery, and a lot of fast bowlers are in a great space to be able to win us Test matches from any situation or any position," Gill said. "Obviously, when you have someone like Jasprit Bumrah, depending on how many matches he would play, whenever he would come back and play the match for us, it would be a great sight for us. But I think we have a great mix of bowlers and a great set of bowlers who can get the job for the team done. "I have said it before during the Champions Trophy (which Bumrah missed and India won) as well, it will give someone the opportunity to put his hand up, and we have got enough talent there. I know that he is quality, but we have got enough quality apart from him as well in the squad," the new Test captain added. Meanwhile, India’s away tour of England is the first series of the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle and will not feature three Indian superstars – Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin, who all announced Test retirements earlier. Test specialist Mohammed Shami will also miss the five-match series due to workload management.

During the squad announcement for the England tour, chief selector Ajit Agarkar revealed what the doctors said about managing Bumrah's workload in the upcoming series.

Shubman Gill wants to keep his style of captaincy and relationship with his teammates transparent as he gears up to embrace a new journey as the Indian Test captain with an away tour of England starting June 20 in Leeds. Gill, 25, replaced Rohit Sharma, who announced his Test retirement midway through IPL 2025, becoming the country’s 37th Test skipper. With Rohit and Virat Kohli bowing out of red-ball cricket, Gill understands the need to fill their spots but takes no pressure in doing so.&nbsp;Ahead of departing for England for the five-match Test series, Gill and all-format head coach Gautam Gambhir addressed the media. Answering one of the questions about taking the pressure to deliver on his maiden tour as the new Test captain, Gill said,&nbsp; &nbsp;"There is pressure on every tour. It's tough to fill the gaps left by the experienced players who won us so many matches over the years. But there's no different pressure as such. There's pressure in every series, and all the players are used to playing and trying to win under pressure. I think the combination of batting and bowling in our team is a very good mix of experience and talent,” Gill remarked.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-india-tour-of-england-shubman-gill-ready-to-set-benchmark-as-captain-says-want-to-lead-by-example-1749177119546">India tour of England: Shubman Gill ready to set benchmark as captain, says ‘want to lead by example’</a> &nbsp;While the India-A squad was already in England as part of the scheduled shadow tour, which included two unofficial matches against England Lions and an intra-squad match with the Indian Test team, a handful of the Test squad players, including KL Rahul, linked up with them to prepare for the marquee series.&nbsp; &nbsp;Since the remaining squad members have around two weeks to get ready for the first series of the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, Gill feels a ten-day training camp in London, including the three-day intra-squad game, would help him formulate the best XI for the Leeds Test. &nbsp;"We haven't really decided on the [batting order], we still have some time," Gill said. “We will be playing an intra-squad match [from June 13 to 16], and I think we will be having a 10-day camp in London. So we still have a little bit of time, and I think we can decide on the batting order once we go there.”<h2>On England’s Bazball &nbsp;</h2>England has deployed a certain brand of cricket, played over the eras and across formats, named Bazball, where they go all out against the opposition, leaving much for everyone to pick from. Though they failed to win in India with their formula the last time, they are upbeat about maintaining their winning streak at home against the Indians. &nbsp;Speaking on Bazball and the idea behind tackling it, Gill said, "Yes, they play a certain way. I think we saw that when they came to India as well. But I think it's very exciting for us, it gives us an opportunity, and I think it's a great challenge. If we are very proactive with our execution and if we are proactive with our plans, I think it would put them under pressure immensely."&nbsp;

‘It’s tough to fill gaps but there’s no different pressure as such,’ Shubman Gill on his debut away tour as India captain

Shubman Gill wants to keep his style of captaincy and relationship with his teammates transparent as he gears up to embrace a new journey as the Indian Test captain with an away tour of England starting June 20 in Leeds. Gill, 25, replaced Rohit Sharma, who announced his Test retirement midway through IPL 2025, becoming the country’s 37th Test skipper. With Rohit and Virat Kohli bowing out of red-ball cricket, Gill understands the need to fill their spots but takes no pressure in doing so. Ahead of departing for England for the five-match Test series, Gill and all-format head coach Gautam Gambhir addressed the media. Answering one of the questions about taking the pressure to deliver on his maiden tour as the new Test captain, Gill said, "There is pressure on every tour. It's tough to fill the gaps left by the experienced players who won us so many matches over the years. But there's no different pressure as such. There's pressure in every series, and all the players are used to playing and trying to win under pressure. I think the combination of batting and bowling in our team is a very good mix of experience and talent,” Gill remarked. Also read | India tour of England: Shubman Gill ready to set benchmark as captain, says ‘want to lead by example’ While the India-A squad was already in England as part of the scheduled shadow tour, which included two unofficial matches against England Lions and an intra-squad match with the Indian Test team, a handful of the Test squad players, including KL Rahul, linked up with them to prepare for the marquee series. Since the remaining squad members have around two weeks to get ready for the first series of the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, Gill feels a ten-day training camp in London, including the three-day intra-squad game, would help him formulate the best XI for the Leeds Test. "We haven't really decided on the [batting order], we still have some time," Gill said. “We will be playing an intra-squad match [from June 13 to 16], and I think we will be having a 10-day camp in London. So we still have a little bit of time, and I think we can decide on the batting order once we go there.” On England’s Bazball England has deployed a certain brand of cricket, played over the eras and across formats, named Bazball, where they go all out against the opposition, leaving much for everyone to pick from. Though they failed to win in India with their formula the last time, they are upbeat about maintaining their winning streak at home against the Indians. Speaking on Bazball and the idea behind tackling it, Gill said, "Yes, they play a certain way. I think we saw that when they came to India as well. But I think it's very exciting for us, it gives us an opportunity, and I think it's a great challenge. If we are very proactive with our execution and if we are proactive with our plans, I think it would put them under pressure immensely."

With Rohit and Virat Kohli bowing out of red-ball cricket, Gill understands the need to fill their spots but takes no pressure in doing so.

Ravindra Jadeja has been around for a long time and the all-rounder is an integral part of the Indian Test set up for nearly a decade. After Rohit Sharma decided to retire from Test cricket earlier this month with Virat Kohli following the suit, Jadeja may have thought about leading the side, at least on interim basis, with India set to tour England for five Tests next month.The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), however, named Shubman Gill as Rohit successor in Test with Rishabh Pant being his deputy. Before the announcement was made, Jadeja had a candid chat with Ravi Ashwin - his longtime spin partner in Tests about the same.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-am-not-coach-gambhir-breaks-silence-on-shreyas-iyer-snub-from-india-squad-for-england-tests-1748506834686">'I am not...,' Coach Gambhir breaks silence on Shreyas Iyer's snub from India squad for England Tests</a>"Yes, definitely," said Jaddu, as he is fondly called, when asked if he's ever had captaincy aspirations."See, what I feel is that over the years, I have played under different captains. I know the mindset of every single captain that I have played under. Every captain has a different mindset on how he wants to run the team. For example MS Dhoni, I have played under him in every format. His thinking is very simple. If he feels that a batter can hit in that region, he will simply take a fielder there. He wants to make them uncomfortable by not putting a fielder where they can't hit," he added.Jadeja had briefly led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL but the stint was cut short after the team suffered a string of losses and MS Dhoni was reinstated. Jadeja explained the difference between leading a T20 side and Test side during the chat as well."In Test cricket, you have to change two-three fielder as per the need of the bowler. Captaincy in Test cricket is different. It's simple, but calculative. It's not complicated like IPL of T20Is. In T20s, every ball is an event. Test cricket is not that hectic," he added.

Jadeja had briefly led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2022 but the stint was cut short after the team suffered a string of losses and MS Dhoni was reinstated.

Ravindra Jadeja has been around for a long time and the all-rounder is an integral part of the Indian Test set up for nearly a decade. After Rohit Sharma decided to retire from Test cricket earlier this month with Virat Kohli following the suit, Jadeja may have thought about leading the side, at least on interim basis, with India set to tour England for five Tests next month. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), however, named Shubman Gill as Rohit successor in Test with Rishabh Pant being his deputy. Before the announcement was made, Jadeja had a candid chat with Ravi Ashwin - his longtime spin partner in Tests about the same. Also Read - 'I am not...,' Coach Gambhir breaks silence on Shreyas Iyer's snub from India squad for England Tests "Yes, definitely," said Jaddu, as he is fondly called, when asked if he's ever had captaincy aspirations. "See, what I feel is that over the years, I have played under different captains. I know the mindset of every single captain that I have played under. Every captain has a different mindset on how he wants to run the team. For example MS Dhoni, I have played under him in every format. His thinking is very simple. If he feels that a batter can hit in that region, he will simply take a fielder there. He wants to make them uncomfortable by not putting a fielder where they can't hit," he added. Jadeja had briefly led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL but the stint was cut short after the team suffered a string of losses and MS Dhoni was reinstated. Jadeja explained the difference between leading a T20 side and Test side during the chat as well. "In Test cricket, you have to change two-three fielder as per the need of the bowler. Captaincy in Test cricket is different. It's simple, but calculative. It's not complicated like IPL of T20Is. In T20s, every ball is an event. Test cricket is not that hectic," he added.

Jadeja had briefly led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2022 but the stint was cut short after the team suffered a string of losses and MS Dhoni was reinstated.

'Yes, definitely,' says Jadeja on being asked he thought to lead India

As Shubman Gill embarks on a new journey as Team India’s Test captain, his former teammate and red-ball veteran Cheteshwar Pujara throws his weight behind him to succeed. Gill, 25, replaced Rohit Sharma as the Test captain, with the men’s selection committee appointing gloveman Rishabh Pant as his deputy. With the forthcoming England Test series being Gill’s first assignment as the new skipper, Pujara reminded him of opening his batting horizon to succeed in those challenging conditions.&nbsp;Gill is not new to the English conditions, having played both WTC Finals (2021 and 2023) and the rescheduled fifth Test against England from the 2021 tour, held in Birmingham in 2022. Besides, he had a brief stint with the County side Glamorgan. &nbsp;Meanwhile, Pujara feels that while preparing for the challenging UK tour, Gill would embrace his new captaincy role and understand how, by knowing when and where to score runs, he would expand his scoring shots, helping his white-ball game too. &nbsp;“When he goes to England, and when he starts his preparation, he will understand that these are the shots, which he can play while the ball is new. Plus, there are some shots which you need to avoid when the ball is new, and it's swinging or seaming around a bit. I would say it's very similar to what you get in Australia, where the ball does a bit more for the first 25-30 overs, and then it settles down a bit,” Pujara said during a chat show on Sony Sports Network, the official broadcaster for India’s tour of England 2025. &nbsp;Pujara suggested he increase his scoring rate once the shine is away and the ball is older, which makes it easier to score runs. However, he warned Gill against scoring runs right when the ball is new. &nbsp;“So, once the ball gets old, you, as a batter, you can play a few more shots. But if he is batting at number 3 or 4 and India loses one or two wickets early on, then he might have to change his game a bit. He is capable enough to do that, and once he goes there, I am sure he will understand what he has to do,” he added. &nbsp;Meanwhile, what keeps everyone interested is how Team India’s top four would shape up in the five-match series. Commenting on the same, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/eng-vs-ind-2025-cricket-no-sai-sudharsan-three-openers-and-captain-gill-in-cheteshwar-pujara-top-four-for-england-tests-1748257041166">Pujara feels Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul should continue playing at the top</a> while backing Gill to stick to his number three position. For the fourth slot, he picked Karun Nair.&nbsp;

England tour preparation would help Gill embrace Test captaincy and redefine his batting Pujara

As Shubman Gill embarks on a new journey as Team India’s Test captain, his former teammate and red-ball veteran Cheteshwar Pujara throws his weight behind him to succeed. Gill, 25, replaced Rohit Sharma as the Test captain, with the men’s selection committee appointing gloveman Rishabh Pant as his deputy. With the forthcoming England Test series being Gill’s first assignment as the new skipper, Pujara reminded him of opening his batting horizon to succeed in those challenging conditions. Gill is not new to the English conditions, having played both WTC Finals (2021 and 2023) and the rescheduled fifth Test against England from the 2021 tour, held in Birmingham in 2022. Besides, he had a brief stint with the County side Glamorgan. Meanwhile, Pujara feels that while preparing for the challenging UK tour, Gill would embrace his new captaincy role and understand how, by knowing when and where to score runs, he would expand his scoring shots, helping his white-ball game too. “When he goes to England, and when he starts his preparation, he will understand that these are the shots, which he can play while the ball is new. Plus, there are some shots which you need to avoid when the ball is new, and it's swinging or seaming around a bit. I would say it's very similar to what you get in Australia, where the ball does a bit more for the first 25-30 overs, and then it settles down a bit,” Pujara said during a chat show on Sony Sports Network, the official broadcaster for India’s tour of England 2025. Pujara suggested he increase his scoring rate once the shine is away and the ball is older, which makes it easier to score runs. However, he warned Gill against scoring runs right when the ball is new. “So, once the ball gets old, you, as a batter, you can play a few more shots. But if he is batting at number 3 or 4 and India loses one or two wickets early on, then he might have to change his game a bit. He is capable enough to do that, and once he goes there, I am sure he will understand what he has to do,” he added. Meanwhile, what keeps everyone interested is how Team India’s top four would shape up in the five-match series. Commenting on the same, Pujara feels Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul should continue playing at the top while backing Gill to stick to his number three position. For the fourth slot, he picked Karun Nair.

Gill is not new to the English conditions, having played both WTC Finals (2021 and 2023) and the rescheduled fifth Test against England from the 2021 tour, held in Birmingham in 2022.&nbsp;

England tour preparation would help Gill embrace Test captaincy and redefine his batting: Pujara

The BCCI men’s selection committee appointed Shubman Gill as the new Test captain. The decision came on the back of Rohit Sharma’s shock Test retirement, forcing the selectors to bring his successor before the away England series. While Rohit and Virat Kohli’s absence from the 18-man squad picked on Saturday (May 24) saw new faces emerging on the Test scene, including Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh, Gill’s selection begins a new era of Indian Cricket.&nbsp;Gill, 25, will start his captaincy tenure with a challenging tour of England, which also is the beginning of the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. As he leads the new-look Indian Test team, Gill underlined the importance of gelling with his teammates and developing an understanding beyond the game.&nbsp; &nbsp;"As a captain, a leader should be able to know when to step in but also when to give space to the players, because everyone has kind of had a different life and grown up differently," Gill said exclusively to BCCI.tv.&nbsp; &nbsp;"Everyone has a different personality, so a good leader should always be able to know what makes his players to be able to have the best performance or the best outcome. &nbsp;"That is always exciting to be able to have those conversations with the players, to be able to know them on a deeper level than just cricket, because then you're really able to know what can get the best out of them,” he continued.<h2>‘Fortunate to lead India in Tests’ &nbsp;</h2>Growing up, Gill idolised several Indian greats, and as life had it, he went on to play for the Men in Blue. Having the chance to play with Rohit and Virat across formats and now leading the team in Tests, Gill feels fortunate to experience this. &nbsp;"When I was a kid, always inspired by the greats and the legends of Indian cricket and been very fortunate to be able to play with so many of them be it Virat bhai or Rohit bhai," he said. "Both were very contrasting in terms of their style, but it was very inspiring to see both of them working towards a common goal. &nbsp;"You want to be able to win as a captain, and your styles can be different, but they both were very different but also similar in their own sense. Virat bhai was always very aggressive, always wanting to lead from the front with hunger and passion, whereas, Rohit bhai was also aggressive, but you might not see that on their reaction or on their expressions, but he was also someone who was always very attacking on the field,” he continued.

Shubman Gill reacts to India’s Test captaincy role urges to bring best out of players

The BCCI men’s selection committee appointed Shubman Gill as the new Test captain. The decision came on the back of Rohit Sharma’s shock Test retirement, forcing the selectors to bring his successor before the away England series. While Rohit and Virat Kohli’s absence from the 18-man squad picked on Saturday (May 24) saw new faces emerging on the Test scene, including Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh, Gill’s selection begins a new era of Indian Cricket. Gill, 25, will start his captaincy tenure with a challenging tour of England, which also is the beginning of the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. As he leads the new-look Indian Test team, Gill underlined the importance of gelling with his teammates and developing an understanding beyond the game. "As a captain, a leader should be able to know when to step in but also when to give space to the players, because everyone has kind of had a different life and grown up differently," Gill said exclusively to BCCI.tv. "Everyone has a different personality, so a good leader should always be able to know what makes his players to be able to have the best performance or the best outcome. "That is always exciting to be able to have those conversations with the players, to be able to know them on a deeper level than just cricket, because then you're really able to know what can get the best out of them,” he continued. ‘Fortunate to lead India in Tests’ Growing up, Gill idolised several Indian greats, and as life had it, he went on to play for the Men in Blue. Having the chance to play with Rohit and Virat across formats and now leading the team in Tests, Gill feels fortunate to experience this. "When I was a kid, always inspired by the greats and the legends of Indian cricket and been very fortunate to be able to play with so many of them be it Virat bhai or Rohit bhai," he said. "Both were very contrasting in terms of their style, but it was very inspiring to see both of them working towards a common goal. "You want to be able to win as a captain, and your styles can be different, but they both were very different but also similar in their own sense. Virat bhai was always very aggressive, always wanting to lead from the front with hunger and passion, whereas, Rohit bhai was also aggressive, but you might not see that on their reaction or on their expressions, but he was also someone who was always very attacking on the field,” he continued.

Gill, 25, will start his captaincy tenure with a challenging tour of England, which also is the beginning of the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

Shubman Gill reacts to India’s Test captaincy role, urges to bring best out of players

Ace batter <a href="Shubman Gill appointed as new India Test team captain, succeeds Rohit Sharma ahead of England tour">Shubman Gill succeeded Rohit Sharma in becoming the new India Test captain</a>, an official BCCI statement confirmed on Saturday (May 24). Following Rohit’s shock Test retirement early this month, the selectors picked Gill as his successor, overlooking other options like premier quick Jasprit Bumrah and seasoned batter KL Rahul. Meanwhile, another Test regular, keeper Rishabh Pant, is named Gill’s deputy, with both leading India’s 18-man squad for the forthcoming England tour.&nbsp;Gill’s appointment as the Test skipper comes on the back of his magnificent run as the Gujarat Titans’ captain in the IPL. After failing to lead the side home in his debut season as captain last year, Gill’s GT has reached the IPL 2025 playoffs; they are currently leading the points table with 18 points in 13 contested matches. Although they are sure of playing the knockouts, finishing inside the top two remains their prime target. &nbsp;Alongside naming Gill as the new Test captain, the men’s selection committee picked the 18-man squad for the challenging England tour, starting with the first Test in Leeds on June 20.&nbsp; &nbsp;While Virat Kohli and Rohit are absent, owing to their Test retirements recently, the selectors have picked a blend of experience and youth in the squad, recalling several players, including batter Karun Nair and all-rounder Shardul Thakur. The selectors have also rewarded Gill’s opening partner at GT, Sai Sudharsan, with his debut India call-up for England Tests. &nbsp;Besides Sai, who would likely play inside the top three should he get picked, the Ajit Agarkar-led committee also brought in seamer Arshdeep Singh, who adds value to the already-stacked pace attack led by Bumrah.<h2>Here is India’s 18-man Test squad for the England series – &nbsp;</h2>Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (vice-captain, wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur and Arshdeep Singh &nbsp;Meanwhile, Gill’s appointment sent social media into a frenzy, with fans and experts hailing this move, with several calling this ‘a new era of Indian cricket.’&nbsp; &nbsp;Check out some of the best posts on X.&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗘𝗿𝗮 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄! 🇮🇳🤍 Congratulations Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, it’s your time to shine the brighTEST. Go on, build your legacy, and turn dreams into reality! 🤌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PlayBold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PlayBold</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%E0%B2%A8%E0%B2%AE%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%AERCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ನಮ್ಮRCB</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvIND</a> <a href="https://t.co/uOV9lvojdb">pic.twitter.com/uOV9lvojdb</a>&mdash; Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets/status/1926197868219482124?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It was predictable, almost inevitable. It is a huge honour and I wish <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShubmanGill?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShubmanGill</a> the calmness and humility to take on a fine tradition forward&mdash; Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) <a href="https://twitter.com/bhogleharsha/status/1926193094170447954?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The baton of India’s Test captaincy is passed on to Shubman Gill 🤩 More ➡ <a href="https://t.co/zjp0pptofI">https://t.co/zjp0pptofI</a> <a href="https://t.co/4esAehy2dv">pic.twitter.com/4esAehy2dv</a>&mdash; ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1926193262173311096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Jos Buttler Instagram story to congratulate India new test captain Shubman Gill. CAPTAIN GILL ERA BEGINS <a href="https://t.co/PCBW5j31Uj">pic.twitter.com/PCBW5j31Uj</a>&mdash; Ahmed Says (@AhmedGT_) <a href="https://twitter.com/AhmedGT_/status/1926229243719008305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The ultimate elite format, one of the biggest transitions in Indian Cricket off late, the ever challenging English conditions, one of our youngest captains ever so many epic factors around, nervousness-excitement-fears-hope everything! Upwards we look! CAPTAIN GILL ERA BEGINS. <a href="https://t.co/uJUiQgV4Up">pic.twitter.com/uJUiQgV4Up</a>&mdash; samidha (@yardslayy) <a href="https://twitter.com/yardslayy/status/1926197728054247492?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Well done, <a href="https://twitter.com/ShubmanGill?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShubmanGill</a>! Big congratulations on becoming the Indian Test Captain. I am sure you will make the country proud! 🙌&mdash; Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) <a href="https://twitter.com/SDhawan25/status/1926235408477605900?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Shubman Gill has a great chance to grab this opportunity with both hands. Young team, expectations low - he needs to shine with the bat and lead by example. Gill needs to remember Gabba and what an inspired young team can do.&mdash; Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) <a href="https://twitter.com/MohammadKaif/status/1926240221055660303?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Many Congratulations to Sai Sudarshan, Arshdeep Singh, Karun Nair for being selected for the ultimate format and the challenging English summer. Congratulations to Shubman Gill for being appointed as Indian test captain. But surely team India is going to miss Mohammed Shami’s…&mdash; Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) <a href="https://twitter.com/IrfanPathan/status/1926194227324629502?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/ShubmanGill?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShubmanGill</a> on being appointed India’s new Test captain. From a promising young batter to leading the team in the purest format, his journey has been remarkable. Wishing him great success in this new chapter. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShubmanGill?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ShubmanGill</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BCCI</a> <a href="https://t.co/yH9dTla4Wj">pic.twitter.com/yH9dTla4Wj</a>&mdash; Rajeev Shukla (@ShuklaRajiv) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShuklaRajiv/status/1926202213145215192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

New era of Indian cricket begins Social media reacts to Shubman Gill appointment as new Test captain

Ace batter Shubman Gill succeeded Rohit Sharma in becoming the new India Test captain, an official BCCI statement confirmed on Saturday (May 24). Following Rohit’s shock Test retirement early this month, the selectors picked Gill as his successor, overlooking other options like premier quick Jasprit Bumrah and seasoned batter KL Rahul. Meanwhile, another Test regular, keeper Rishabh Pant, is named Gill’s deputy, with both leading India’s 18-man squad for the forthcoming England tour. Gill’s appointment as the Test skipper comes on the back of his magnificent run as the Gujarat Titans’ captain in the IPL. After failing to lead the side home in his debut season as captain last year, Gill’s GT has reached the IPL 2025 playoffs; they are currently leading the points table with 18 points in 13 contested matches. Although they are sure of playing the knockouts, finishing inside the top two remains their prime target. Alongside naming Gill as the new Test captain, the men’s selection committee picked the 18-man squad for the challenging England tour, starting with the first Test in Leeds on June 20. While Virat Kohli and Rohit are absent, owing to their Test retirements recently, the selectors have picked a blend of experience and youth in the squad, recalling several players, including batter Karun Nair and all-rounder Shardul Thakur. The selectors have also rewarded Gill’s opening partner at GT, Sai Sudharsan, with his debut India call-up for England Tests. Besides Sai, who would likely play inside the top three should he get picked, the Ajit Agarkar-led committee also brought in seamer Arshdeep Singh, who adds value to the already-stacked pace attack led by Bumrah. Here is India’s 18-man Test squad for the England series – Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (vice-captain, wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur and Arshdeep Singh Meanwhile, Gill’s appointment sent social media into a frenzy, with fans and experts hailing this move, with several calling this ‘a new era of Indian cricket.’ Check out some of the best posts on X.

Alongside naming Gill as the new Test captain, the men’s selection committee picked the 18-man squad for the challenging England tour, starting with the first Test in Leeds on June 20.&nbsp;

‘New era of Indian cricket begins’ – Social media reacts to Shubman Gill’s appointment as new Test captain

Shubman Gill has been officially appointed as the new captain of the Indian Test side ahead of the England tour which starts on June 20. The announcement came on Saturday (May 24) with Gill officially succeeding Rohit Sharma, who had earlier announced his retirement from the format. On the other hand, Rishabh Pant will be Gill’s deputy as a new era in Indian cricket begins.<h2>Shubman Gill era begins</h2>After Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the red-ball format, Gill and other big names were in line to take over the captain’s armband. While Gill was the front-runner, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant were also part of the conversation. However, the selection panel led by Ajit Agarkar made a bold choice and picked Gill over other veterans.&nbsp;&nbsp;In succeeding Rohit, he becomes the 37th permanent captain of the Indian side joining the likes of Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and other greats.&nbsp;Gill has been in excellent form as the skipper of Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025). Currently sitting top of the table with a game to go, Gill’s captaincy skills were the primary reasons why he saw off competition from other veteran players. He has previously led the Indian side during the Zimbabwe tour in 2024, helping the Men in Blue win a T20I series. However, this will be the first time he leads India in the red-ball format.&nbsp;<h2>Pant takes over as deputy</h2>On the other hand, Rishabh Pant has been appointed as the Test vice-captain with selectors showing faith in the wicketkeeper-batter. He is one of the first names in the team sheet and saw off competition from KL Rahul and Bumrah to take over in the capacity.&nbsp;&nbsp;The new leadership duo will officially take over on the field from June 20 when India face England in the first of five Test matches in Headingley.

Shubman Gill has been officially appointed as the new captain of the Indian Test side ahead of the England tour which starts on June 20. 

Shubman Gill has been officially appointed as the new captain of the Indian Test side ahead of the England tour which starts on June 20. The announcement came on Saturday (May 24) with Gill officially succeeding Rohit Sharma, who had earlier announced his retirement from the format. On the other hand, Rishabh Pant will be Gill’s deputy as a new era in Indian cricket begins. Shubman Gill era begins After Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the red-ball format, Gill and other big names were in line to take over the captain’s armband. While Gill was the front-runner, Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant were also part of the conversation. However, the selection panel led by Ajit Agarkar made a bold choice and picked Gill over other veterans. In succeeding Rohit, he becomes the 37th permanent captain of the Indian side joining the likes of Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and other greats. Gill has been in excellent form as the skipper of Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025). Currently sitting top of the table with a game to go, Gill’s captaincy skills were the primary reasons why he saw off competition from other veteran players. He has previously led the Indian side during the Zimbabwe tour in 2024, helping the Men in Blue win a T20I series. However, this will be the first time he leads India in the red-ball format. Pant takes over as deputy On the other hand, Rishabh Pant has been appointed as the Test vice-captain with selectors showing faith in the wicketkeeper-batter. He is one of the first names in the team sheet and saw off competition from KL Rahul and Bumrah to take over in the capacity. The new leadership duo will officially take over on the field from June 20 when India face England in the first of five Test matches in Headingley.

Shubman Gill has been officially appointed as the new captain of the Indian Test side ahead of the England tour which starts on June 20.&nbsp;

Shubman Gill appointed as new India Test team captain, succeeds Rohit Sharma ahead of England tour

<h2>Have you ever seen a sea of lavender?</h2>&nbsp;Well, if you haven’t, you will witness it on Thursday (22 May) when <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=gujarat%20titans">Gujarat Titans</a> (GT) take on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=lucknow%20super%20giants">Lucknow Super Giants </a>(LSG) at the Narendra Modi Stadium. But this won’t just be another IPL game, it will be a powerful platform to raise awareness about cancer.&nbsp;With over 30,000 lavender flags waving in the stands and 10,000 fans wearing lavender jerseys, the stadium will transform into a symbol of hope and support. In addition to it, Gujarat Titans players will wear special lavender jerseys on the field, showing their support for early detection and access to quality cancer care.

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DJymVVzNYMZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DJymVVzNYMZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; 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This marks the third consecutive year that the Ahmedabad-based franchise is using IPL to showcase a difference, which will attract maximum eyeballs. The initiative has grown stronger every season, proving how sports can go beyond entertainment and drive real impact.&nbsp;Speaking ahead of this special occasion, Colonel Arvinder Singh, COO of Gujarat Titans, said, “This is the third consecutive year Gujarat Titans are batting for the cause of cancer awareness. We're glad to have our fans by our side who have shown consistent support in echoing the message for early diagnosis and pre-emptive care for cancer.”&nbsp;Shubman Gill, Skipper of Gujarat Titans, added, "As athletes, we recognise the platform we have to influence change. Wearing these lavender jerseys is our way of showing solidarity with cancer warriors and honouring their resilience.”&nbsp;This isn’t the first time IPL teams have used their jerseys to highlight a health cause. In 2021, Royal Challengers Bangalore RCB) wore blue to honour frontline COVID-19 workers. Back in 2015, Delhi Capitals also turned lavender for cancer awareness.&nbsp;Now, the Gujarat Titans are carrying that spirit forward with their initiative, showcasing how sport can act as a catalyst for awareness, making people think, act, and support important issues.&nbsp;So the game on May 22 won’t just be about fours, sixes, and wickets. It’ll be about unity, purpose, and hope draped in lavender.

With over 30,000 lavender flags waving in the stands and 10,000 fans wearing lavender jerseys, the stadium will transform into a symbol of hope and support. In addition to it, Gujarat Titans players will wear special lavender jerseys on the field.

Have you ever seen a sea of lavender? Well, if you haven’t, you will witness it on Thursday (22 May) when Gujarat Titans (GT) take on Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Narendra Modi Stadium. But this won’t just be another IPL game, it will be a powerful platform to raise awareness about cancer. With over 30,000 lavender flags waving in the stands and 10,000 fans wearing lavender jerseys, the stadium will transform into a symbol of hope and support. In addition to it, Gujarat Titans players will wear special lavender jerseys on the field, showing their support for early detection and access to quality cancer care.

With over 30,000 lavender flags waving in the stands and 10,000 fans wearing lavender jerseys, the stadium will transform into a symbol of hope and support. In addition to it, Gujarat Titans players will wear special lavender jerseys on the field.

IPL 2025 | Gujarat Titans to wear lavender jersey during match against Lucknow on May 22 - Here's Why

Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan have stepped up for Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL 2025 and have recorded the most runs by an Indian pair in IPL 2025. Check out the other Indian duos with a record-breaking partnership in IPL history.

Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan have stepped for Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL 2025 and have recorded the most runs by an Indian pair in IPL 2025. Check out the other Indian duos with record-breaking partnerships in IPL history.

Indian pairs with most partnership run in single IPL season

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sai-sudharsan">Sai Sudharsan</a> cannot do anything wrong right now. The current <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025">IPL 2025</a> purple cap holder scored his second hundred in the competition the other night, his first this season, helping <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/gujarat-titans">Gujarat Titans (GT)</a> complete their highest successful run chase (205). GT has qualified for the IPL 2025 playoffs with 18 points from 12 contested matches. Also, Sai complimented Shubman Gill for his effective captaincy, pressing their cases for respective roles on India's upcoming Test tour of England.&nbsp;While the latest reports see Gill leading the Test captaincy race ahead of ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah and others like Rishabh Pant and even KL Rahul, the BCCI would likely rope in in-form batter Sai for the away five-match Test series starting June 20, making him play in the top order, likely at number three.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-boycott-asia-cup-2025-pakistan-pcb-acc-events-bcci-operation-sindoor-cricket-1747630295344">India to pull out of Asia Cup events in move to isolate Pakistan Cricket – Report</a> &nbsp;With this batting duo doing wonders for GT in IPL 2025, having already registered the most runs (839 and counting) by an Indian pair in a season, the team management and BCCI selectors must breathe easy.<h2>Sai praises Gill &nbsp;</h2>Having batted together for almost two seasons, Gill and Sai know each other's game. Praising his captain for guiding them through such run chases, Sai said, "When I got after the bowlers, he compliments me; we rotate strike and run really well. In the middle overs, running is a vital thing for us. When I make some mistakes, he makes me aware, and similarly, from my side as well." &nbsp;While the left-handed batter remained unbeaten 108 in 61 balls, hitting four sixes and 12 fours, Gill was not out on 93 from 53 balls, whacking seven biggies and three fours. In the first innings, KL Rahul hit 112* in 65 deliveries, timing four sixes and 14 fours to perfection. &nbsp;Sai, in particular, has been in tremendous touch this season, leading the run-scoring chart. The GT opener has collected 617 runs in 12 matches thus far, with his batting partner second on the list with 601 runs in as many outings.&nbsp;<h3>How did the IPL break help Sai? &nbsp;</h3>The BCCI was forced to suspend IPL 2025 on May 9 due to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, with the competition resuming nine days later on May 17. That break, however, did some good to Sai’s game. &nbsp;"There's a bit of joy when you finish games for the team," Sai Sudharsan said.&nbsp; &nbsp;"In the break we got, I was thinking on that [finishing games] a bit more. Between overs seven to ten, they bowled really well [DC conceded 30 to leave GT 93 without loss]. The momentum went down a bit. &nbsp;"We wanted to take the game deep, didn't want to be desperate to take a lot of chances, have a cool enough mindset to take the game deep. And we got two or three big overs that changed the game. In the previous games, I took chances and got out. Here, I was aware enough to take the game deep and take my chances against the right match-ups,” he explained after winning the Player of the Match award.&nbsp; &nbsp;Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS), alongside GT, have qualified for the IPL 2025 playoffs.&nbsp;

ENG Tests hopeful Sai Sudharsan credits captain Gill in DC win credits IPL break for heroic ton

Sai Sudharsan cannot do anything wrong right now. The current IPL 2025 purple cap holder scored his second hundred in the competition the other night, his first this season, helping Gujarat Titans (GT) complete their highest successful run chase (205). GT has qualified for the IPL 2025 playoffs with 18 points from 12 contested matches. Also, Sai complimented Shubman Gill for his effective captaincy, pressing their cases for respective roles on India's upcoming Test tour of England. While the latest reports see Gill leading the Test captaincy race ahead of ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah and others like Rishabh Pant and even KL Rahul, the BCCI would likely rope in in-form batter Sai for the away five-match Test series starting June 20, making him play in the top order, likely at number three. Also read | India to pull out of Asia Cup events in move to isolate Pakistan Cricket – Report With this batting duo doing wonders for GT in IPL 2025, having already registered the most runs (839 and counting) by an Indian pair in a season, the team management and BCCI selectors must breathe easy. Sai praises Gill Having batted together for almost two seasons, Gill and Sai know each other's game. Praising his captain for guiding them through such run chases, Sai said, "When I got after the bowlers, he compliments me; we rotate strike and run really well. In the middle overs, running is a vital thing for us. When I make some mistakes, he makes me aware, and similarly, from my side as well." While the left-handed batter remained unbeaten 108 in 61 balls, hitting four sixes and 12 fours, Gill was not out on 93 from 53 balls, whacking seven biggies and three fours. In the first innings, KL Rahul hit 112* in 65 deliveries, timing four sixes and 14 fours to perfection. Sai, in particular, has been in tremendous touch this season, leading the run-scoring chart. The GT opener has collected 617 runs in 12 matches thus far, with his batting partner second on the list with 601 runs in as many outings. How did the IPL break help Sai? The BCCI was forced to suspend IPL 2025 on May 9 due to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, with the competition resuming nine days later on May 17. That break, however, did some good to Sai’s game. "There's a bit of joy when you finish games for the team," Sai Sudharsan said. "In the break we got, I was thinking on that [finishing games] a bit more. Between overs seven to ten, they bowled really well [DC conceded 30 to leave GT 93 without loss]. The momentum went down a bit. "We wanted to take the game deep, didn't want to be desperate to take a lot of chances, have a cool enough mindset to take the game deep. And we got two or three big overs that changed the game. In the previous games, I took chances and got out. Here, I was aware enough to take the game deep and take my chances against the right match-ups,” he explained after winning the Player of the Match award. Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS), alongside GT, have qualified for the IPL 2025 playoffs.

While the latest reports see Gill leading the Test captaincy race ahead of ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah and others like Rishabh Pant and even KL Rahul, the BCCI would likely rope in in-form batter Sai for the away five-match Test series starting June 20, making him play in the top order.

ENG Tests hopeful Sai Sudharsan lauds captain Gill in DC win, credits IPL break for heroic ton

Gujarat Titans officially booked their place in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) with two matches to go after they beat Delhi Capitals by 10 wickets. Playing at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, Gujarat batter Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan ran riot with the bat as the latter scored a hundred. The win for GT also means Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings are also in the Playoffs of the IPL 2025.&nbsp;GT beat DC at Arun Jaitley Stadium&nbsp;Fans at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi were also treated to some high-scoring cricket, with KL Rahul's fifth IPL century being the main highlight from the first innings after GT, who won the toss and opted to field first. After DC lost Faf Du Plessis early, a 90-run stand between KL Rahul and Abishek Porel (30 in 19 balls, with a four and three sixes) and cameos from skipper Axar Patel (25 in 16 balls, with two fours and a six) and Tristan Stubbs (21* in 10 balls, with two sixes) helped DC reach 199/3.&nbsp;KL had a solid 45-run stand for the third wicket and a 48-run stand for the fourth wicket with Axar and Stubbs, respectively. Sai Kishore, Prasidh Krishna, and Arshad Khan each got a wicket. However, DC's bowling struggled against ultra-consistent Shubman Gill (93* in 53 balls, with three fours and seven sixes) and Sai Sudharsan (108* in just 61 balls, with 12 fours and four sixes).&nbsp;They put on a dominant 205 run partnership, helping GT win with an over left. Sudharsan got the 'Player of the match' award and leads the Orange Cap race with 617 runs in 12 innings at an average of 56.09 and a strike rate of 156.99, with a century and five fifties.&nbsp;With this win, GT have climbed to the top with nine wins and three losses, giving them 18 points. With two matches left, their qualification is sealed. On the other hand, RCB are in second place, with eight wins, three losses, and no result, giving them 17 points as well. GT, RCB and PBKS have two matches left.&nbsp;GT are supposed to play Lucknow Super Giants (May 22) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Ahmedabad. RCB are left to play Sunrisers Hyderabad (May 23) at home and Lucknow Super Giants (May 27) at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. Also, PBKS are yet to play Delhi Capitals (May 24) and Mumbai Indians (May 26) in Jaipur.&nbsp;&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/players-pay-tribute-to-indian-armed-forces-before-rr-pbks-match-1747567975112">IPL 2025: Players pay tribute to Indian armed forces before RR-PBKS match</a>&nbsp;After winning their first five matches, DC's road to the playoffs has become difficult. They won just one, lost five of their next six matches, and one ended in a no-result. They are at fifth spot with 13 points. Their matches against the Mumbai Indians (May 21) at Wankhede and the PBKS (May 24) in Jaipur have become must-win matches. Mumbai Indians (fourth with seven wins and five losses, 14 points) and LSG (seventh with five wins, six losses and 10 points) are still in contention for the playoffs.

Gujarat Titans officially booked their place in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) with two matches to go after they beat Delhi Capitals by 10 wickets.

Gujarat Titans officially booked their place in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) with two matches to go after they beat Delhi Capitals by 10 wickets. Playing at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, Gujarat batter Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan ran riot with the bat as the latter scored a hundred. The win for GT also means Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings are also in the Playoffs of the IPL 2025. GT beat DC at Arun Jaitley Stadium Fans at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi were also treated to some high-scoring cricket, with KL Rahul's fifth IPL century being the main highlight from the first innings after GT, who won the toss and opted to field first. After DC lost Faf Du Plessis early, a 90-run stand between KL Rahul and Abishek Porel (30 in 19 balls, with a four and three sixes) and cameos from skipper Axar Patel (25 in 16 balls, with two fours and a six) and Tristan Stubbs (21* in 10 balls, with two sixes) helped DC reach 199/3. KL had a solid 45-run stand for the third wicket and a 48-run stand for the fourth wicket with Axar and Stubbs, respectively. Sai Kishore, Prasidh Krishna, and Arshad Khan each got a wicket. However, DC's bowling struggled against ultra-consistent Shubman Gill (93* in 53 balls, with three fours and seven sixes) and Sai Sudharsan (108* in just 61 balls, with 12 fours and four sixes). They put on a dominant 205 run partnership, helping GT win with an over left. Sudharsan got the 'Player of the match' award and leads the Orange Cap race with 617 runs in 12 innings at an average of 56.09 and a strike rate of 156.99, with a century and five fifties. With this win, GT have climbed to the top with nine wins and three losses, giving them 18 points. With two matches left, their qualification is sealed. On the other hand, RCB are in second place, with eight wins, three losses, and no result, giving them 17 points as well. GT, RCB and PBKS have two matches left. GT are supposed to play Lucknow Super Giants (May 22) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Ahmedabad. RCB are left to play Sunrisers Hyderabad (May 23) at home and Lucknow Super Giants (May 27) at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. Also, PBKS are yet to play Delhi Capitals (May 24) and Mumbai Indians (May 26) in Jaipur. ALSO READ | IPL 2025: Players pay tribute to Indian armed forces before RR-PBKS match After winning their first five matches, DC's road to the playoffs has become difficult. They won just one, lost five of their next six matches, and one ended in a no-result. They are at fifth spot with 13 points. Their matches against the Mumbai Indians (May 21) at Wankhede and the PBKS (May 24) in Jaipur have become must-win matches. Mumbai Indians (fourth with seven wins and five losses, 14 points) and LSG (seventh with five wins, six losses and 10 points) are still in contention for the playoffs.

Gujarat Titans officially booked their place in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) with two matches to go after they beat Delhi Capitals by 10 wickets.

IPL 2025: GT punch Playoffs ticket as Gill-Sudharsan run riot against DC

What is the latest on India&rsquo;s Test captaincy front? Have the selectors and the coach decided on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shubman-gill" rel="dofollow">Shubman Gill</a> as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rohit-sharma" rel="dofollow">Rohit Sharma</a>&rsquo;s replacement, or are they contemplating picking ace seamer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/jasprit-bumrah" rel="dofollow">Jasprit Bumrah</a> as the new red-ball leader? Nothing seems to have been finalised yet.
Before it all came crashing down for India&rsquo;s Test Team following the BGT Down Under, premier quick Bumrah was to succeed Rohit in Tests. He had led the side in two matches against Australia, in Perth and Sydney, where Rohit remained absent for different reasons. Although India won the series opener at the Optus Stadium, their only win on the tour, Bumrah had to leave the final Test at the SCG due to a back issue, with them losing it inside three days.
Bumrah's fitness has been the management&rsquo;s ultimate worry, having already lost him for close to eight to ten months earlier. Even though India has found success in his absence, with the 2025 Champions Trophy triumph being the latest instance, they would need Bumrah on the England tour, especially after India&rsquo;s Test batting lost its two jewels in Rohit and Virat Kohli to Test retirements.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2025-playoffs-cricket-south-africa-does-u-turn-on-their-players-availability-wtc-final-2025-prep-to-begin-in-june-9070906" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025 Playoffs: Cricket South Africa does U-Turn on their players&rsquo; availability; WTC Final prep to begin in June</a>
Also, considering the consensus that Bumrah must not play more than two Tests on the trot, the BCCI could find it tough to replace him with someone as the Test captain for just one game and then return to Bumrah whenever he returns. Avoiding such complications would be on the agenda when head coach Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee sit to pick the squad for the England Tests.&nbsp;
Per several reports, the BCCI selectors would unveil the new Test captain on May 23, probably announcing the Test squad alongside.
<h2>Why no Gill then?</h2>
If not Jasprit Bumrah, then why not Shubman Gill? What is stopping the BCCI selectors from picking the captain for the future?&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s because Gill has yet to crack the overseas Test code.&nbsp;
India&rsquo;s top-order batter moved places since the away West Indies&rsquo; Tests last year, dropping to number three. Although he has been a fantastic ODI batter since his debut, scoring runs for fun in all conditions, Gill has been a pale shadow of that in Tests, averaging just over 35 in 32 matches.&nbsp;
With India coming into this series on the back of two successive losses against New Zealand and Australia, conceding another Test series would be a disaster; also, knowing the selectors have a task at hand to pick a new-look batting order, burdening Gill with added responsibility would do no good.
Besides, barring these two, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are the remaining options India has.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen who the selectors pick as India&rsquo;s next Test captain.&nbsp;

Following the BGT 2024/25, Bumrah was always going to lead India in the next World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, starting with the away England Tests. Sports, Cricket

What is the latest on India’s Test captaincy front? Have the selectors and the coach decided on Shubman Gill as Rohit Sharma’s replacement, or are they contemplating picking ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah as the new red-ball leader? Nothing seems to have been finalised yet. Before it all came crashing down for India’s Test Team following the BGT Down Under, premier quick Bumrah was to succeed Rohit in Tests. He had led the side in two matches against Australia, in Perth and Sydney, where Rohit remained absent for different reasons. Although India won the series opener at the Optus Stadium, their only win on the tour, Bumrah had to leave the final Test at the SCG due to a back issue, with them losing it inside three days. Bumrah's fitness has been the management’s ultimate worry, having already lost him for close to eight to ten months earlier. Even though India has found success in his absence, with the 2025 Champions Trophy triumph being the latest instance, they would need Bumrah on the England tour, especially after India’s Test batting lost its two jewels in Rohit and Virat Kohli to Test retirements. Also read | IPL 2025 Playoffs: Cricket South Africa does U-Turn on their players’ availability; WTC Final prep to begin in June Also, considering the consensus that Bumrah must not play more than two Tests on the trot, the BCCI could find it tough to replace him with someone as the Test captain for just one game and then return to Bumrah whenever he returns. Avoiding such complications would be on the agenda when head coach Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee sit to pick the squad for the England Tests. Per several reports, the BCCI selectors would unveil the new Test captain on May 23, probably announcing the Test squad alongside. Why no Gill then? If not Jasprit Bumrah, then why not Shubman Gill? What is stopping the BCCI selectors from picking the captain for the future? It’s because Gill has yet to crack the overseas Test code. India’s top-order batter moved places since the away West Indies’ Tests last year, dropping to number three. Although he has been a fantastic ODI batter since his debut, scoring runs for fun in all conditions, Gill has been a pale shadow of that in Tests, averaging just over 35 in 32 matches. With India coming into this series on the back of two successive losses against New Zealand and Australia, conceding another Test series would be a disaster; also, knowing the selectors have a task at hand to pick a new-look batting order, burdening Gill with added responsibility would do no good. Besides, barring these two, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are the remaining options India has. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen who the selectors pick as India’s next Test captain.

ENG vs IND 2025: No clear choice for India's Test captaincy yet as selectors unsure of Gill, dicey over Bumrah - Report

Former World Cup winner and India opener Kris Srikkanth has backed Jasprit Bumrah to succeed Rohit Sharma as the new Test captain over Shubman Gill, as he reckons the latter is not yet ready. Speaking on Tuesday (May 13), the member of the 1983 World Cup-winning squad said Bumrah is the ideal choice for the captain&rsquo;s armband. According to him, KL Rahul has to be the deputy captain of the side, not backing Gill to play second fiddle to Bumrah. <o:p></o:p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">World Cup winner backs Jasprit Bumrah<o:p></o:p></h2>
"Who&rsquo;s a ready-made captaincy candidate now? Shubman Gill? I don&rsquo;t think he is still a certainty in the XI,&rdquo; Srikkanth said.<o:p></o:p>
&ldquo;You&rsquo;re not handing the captaincy to KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant. Otherwise, you give it to Jasprit Bumrah.<o:p></o:p>
&ldquo;The other choice is Bumrah. You say, &lsquo;Boss, you&rsquo;re the captain. &rsquo; And whichever Test match he doesn&rsquo;t play, you give KL Rahul the responsibility.<o:p></o:p>
&ldquo;As of now, I think Bumrah should be the captain. If I were the chairman of selectors, I would make Bumrah the captain. And then I&rsquo;d say, &lsquo;Boss, play whichever matches you want to&rsquo;. I&rsquo;d then appoint KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant as vice-captain, because these are certainties in the XI.&rdquo;<o:p></o:p>
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/ipl-2025-bcci-scrambles-to-get-foreign-players-as-ipl-sets-for-resumption-who-will-return-and-who-wont-deets-inside-9065463" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">IPL 2025 | BCCI scrambles to get foreign players as IPL sets for resumption: Who will return and who won&rsquo;t? Deets inside</a>
Last week, Rohit retired from Test cricket, announcing it in a social media post, leaving the captaincy job vacant. With the upcoming England tour commencing India&rsquo;s bid for another World Test Championship (WTC), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the selectors will have a massive job to name Rohit&rsquo;s successor. <o:p></o:p>
Muted calls even suggested Virat Kohli to take over as the captain for the England tour, however, those rumours were also shut down when the former skipper announced his own retirement from the Test format. <o:p></o:p>
At the moment, Bumrah and Gill are favourites to take over the captaincy role, with Rahul and Rishabh Pant also in the pecking order. <o:p></o:p>
India&rsquo;s England tour starts on June 20 as they take on the hosts at Headingley in Leeds.<o:p></o:p>

Speaking on Tuesday (May 13), Kris Srikkanth said Jasprit Bumrah is the ideal choice for the captain’s armband while backing KL Rahul for the deputy's role. India News | Cricket | Sports

Former World Cup winner and India opener Kris Srikkanth has backed Jasprit Bumrah to succeed Rohit Sharma as the new Test captain over Shubman Gill, as he reckons the latter is not yet ready. Speaking on Tuesday (May 13), the member of the 1983 World Cup-winning squad said Bumrah is the ideal choice for the captain’s armband. According to him, KL Rahul has to be the deputy captain of the side, not backing Gill to play second fiddle to Bumrah. World Cup winner backs Jasprit Bumrah "Who’s a ready-made captaincy candidate now? Shubman Gill? I don’t think he is still a certainty in the XI,” Srikkanth said. “You’re not handing the captaincy to KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant. Otherwise, you give it to Jasprit Bumrah. “The other choice is Bumrah. You say, ‘Boss, you’re the captain. ’ And whichever Test match he doesn’t play, you give KL Rahul the responsibility. “As of now, I think Bumrah should be the captain. If I were the chairman of selectors, I would make Bumrah the captain. And then I’d say, ‘Boss, play whichever matches you want to’. I’d then appoint KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant as vice-captain, because these are certainties in the XI.” ALSO READ | IPL 2025 | BCCI scrambles to get foreign players as IPL sets for resumption: Who will return and who won’t? Deets inside Last week, Rohit retired from Test cricket, announcing it in a social media post, leaving the captaincy job vacant. With the upcoming England tour commencing India’s bid for another World Test Championship (WTC), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the selectors will have a massive job to name Rohit’s successor. Muted calls even suggested Virat Kohli to take over as the captain for the England tour, however, those rumours were also shut down when the former skipper announced his own retirement from the Test format. At the moment, Bumrah and Gill are favourites to take over the captaincy role, with Rahul and Rishabh Pant also in the pecking order. India’s England tour starts on June 20 as they take on the hosts at Headingley in Leeds.

'I don’t think he is ready': Former World Cup winner backs Jasprit Bumrah over Shubman Gill for Test captaincy

As the IPL 2025 playoffs draw close, Let's have a look at the Top 6 knocks in IPL playoffs history featuring Virender Sehwag, Shubman Gill, Shane Watson, Rajat Patidar, Murali Vijay and Wriddhiman Saha. Sports Cricket Photos

6 Highest individual scores in IPL playoffs: Only one foreigner in the list

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