Shubman Gill named India’s new Test Captain for England tour

Bhubaneswar, May 24: Shubman Gill has been officially named the 37th Test captain of the Indian cricket team, ahead of the upcoming five-match Test series against England beginning June 20. The announcement was made by Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar during a press conference held in Mumbai on Saturday, where the 18-member squad was revealed.

Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will serve as the vice-captain for the crucial overseas tour. The selection was finalized during a meeting led by Agarkar, with BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia acting as convener. Shiv Sunder Das, a member of the selection panel, was also present at the press briefing.

Agarkar stated that Gill’s leadership potential has been closely observed over the past year. “We’ve evaluated his progress carefully. Though young, he has shown maturity and consistency,” he noted, expressing confidence in Gill’s ability to lead in challenging conditions.

Gill, who has featured in 32 Test matches, has accumulated 1893 runs at an average of 35.1, including five centuries. He steps into the captaincy role following Rohit Sharma’s recent retirement from Test cricket.

Gill previously led India to a 4-1 T20I series victory in Zimbabwe and was vice-captain during the team’s Champions Trophy triumph in 2025.