Shubman Gill is set to lead India in red-ball cricket for the first time, stepping into the captaincy for the high-stakes five-Test series in England starting June 20 at Headingley. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring last month, the 25-year-old batter inherits one of the most demanding jobs in world cricket.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, in a conversation on The ICC Review, offered grounded advice for the young skipper: “Take your time. It’s not going to be easy. He’s been asked to do a tough job — captaining India in England.”
Shastri, however, voiced confidence in Gill’s temperament, citing his brief captaincy stint with Gujarat Titans in the recent IPL season. “What I saw of him impressed me. He was composed, calm, and showed tactical maturity,” he noted, referencing Gill’s journey to the Eliminator.
This series marks not just Gill’s leadership debut, but also India’s opening campaign in the 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship cycle. The stakes are high — India last won a Test series in England back in 2007. Now, with a refreshed squad and a new captain at the helm, the Men in Blue aim to script history on English soil once again.
