Mumbai: Right-handed batter Shubman Gill has been appointed as India’s 37th Test captain, announced chief selector Ajit Agarkar as he unveiled the 18-member squad for the crucial five-match Test series against England, starting on June 20. Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been named vice-captain.
The selection committee, led by Agarkar and with BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia as meeting convener, finalized the squad at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai. Agarkar said they had carefully evaluated all options over the past year and taken extensive feedback from the dressing room. “Shubman is very young, but we have seen consistent improvement. We are hopeful he’s the right choice. He’s a terrific player and we wish him the best. Captains are not picked for just one or two tours, and his progress over the last year or two has been encouraging. It’s going to be a tough challenge,” Agarkar added.
Gill, who has played as an opener and number three batter for India in Tests, assumes the captaincy following Rohit Sharma’s recent retirement from the format. In 32 Tests, Gill has scored 1,893 runs at an average of 35.1, including five centuries and seven fifties. His previous leadership experience includes leading India to a 4-1 T20I series win in Zimbabwe last year, serving as white-ball vice-captain during India’s 2025 Champions Trophy triumph in Dubai, and captaining in first-class cricket five times, with a record of one win, two losses, and two draws.
At 25, Gill currently leads Gujarat Titans, who top the IPL 2025 points table and are set for the playoffs. His teammates and coaching staff praise his proactiveness, calm demeanor, and tactical acumen.
The squad sees the return of Karun Nair to the Test team after seven years, while Arshdeep Singh and B Sai Sudharsan receive their maiden Test call-ups. Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami was omitted due to fitness concerns. Agarkar explained, “He had a setback recently and medical reports indicated he wouldn’t be able to endure five Tests. We wanted to pick players who are fully fit and available rather than wait for him.”
Agarkar also mentioned that the final decision on the batting order, particularly the opening slots, will be made by Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir once the team arrives in England. On managing Jasprit Bumrah’s workload, Agarkar said, “Bumrah won’t play all five Tests. Whether he plays three or four, he remains a key asset. He understands his body and workload management is crucial. We had discussions with him, and he is on board with the plan.”
The upcoming Test series against England will take place from June 20 to August 4 across iconic venues — Headingley, Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford, and The Oval. India aims to win a Test series in England for the first time since 2007.
India’s squad for the England Tests includes: Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain and wicketkeeper), Yashasvi Jasiwal, KL Rahul, B Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, and Kuldeep Yadav.
With IANS inputs