Shubman Gill named India’s new Test captain

Mumbai

Shubman Gill has been named as India’s new Test captain, with wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant appointed as his deputy. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad for the upcoming five-match Test series against England on Saturday.

The selection meeting took place at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai, attended by secretary Devajit Saikia and the men’s selection committee. Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul were also considered for the captaincy but were not chosen. Bumrah’s injury concerns and Rahul’s age were key factors in the decision.

The squad includes new players Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sai Sudharsan, and Karun Nair. Easwaran, a consistent domestic player from Bengal, has played 101 first-class matches with an average near 49. Sudharsan impressed in domestic cricket with 304 runs in three Ranji Trophy games, while Nair is seeking a comeback after strong performances for Vidarbha.

In bowling, Jasprit Bumrah will lead the pace attack, joined by Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, and Shardul Thakur. Mohammed Shami was not included due to fitness issues.

This England tour will be part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-2027, with matches scheduled from June to August at Headingley, Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford, and The Oval. It will be India’s first Test series after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket earlier this month.

BOX

India’s Test squad: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), 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, Kuldeep Yadav.