NEW DELHI: Indian cricket is on the cusp of a generational transition as the national selectors named Shubman Gill the new Test captain for the upcoming five-match series in England, with Rishabh Pant appointed as vice-captain. This marks the first time since 2011 that the Indian Test side will take the field without the trio of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin—three stalwarts who have defined the modern era of Indian cricket.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar, while announcing the squad at the BCCI headquarters on Saturday, acknowledged the emotional and strategic weight of the moment.
“Replacing legends like Rohit, Kohli, and Ashwin is never easy. It’s a massive transition phase for the team,” Agarkar said. “They’ve been pillars of Indian Test cricket. But it also opens doors for new players to step up.”
Agarkar revealed that Virat Kohli personally communicated his decision to retire from Test cricket in early April.
“Virat has always given 200%, whether batting, fielding, or supporting from the sidelines. He felt he had given everything and didn’t want to compromise his own standards. It came from him. We must respect that — he’s earned it.”
Looking ahead to the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, Agarkar expressed confidence in the fresh leadership and youthful squad.
“This is a new WTC cycle, and we’re looking at various combinations and possibilities. It’s a big job, a big change, but we’re confident Gill is the right man to lead us forward,” he said.
India’s Squad for the England Test Series
The Senior Men’s Selection Committee has named an 18-member squad for the England tour:
Squad:
Shubman Gill (Captain), Rishabh Pant (Vice-Captain & Wicketkeeper), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav
Test Series Schedule (2025)
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1st Test: June 20 – Headingley, Leeds
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2nd Test: June 28 – Edgbaston, Birmingham
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3rd Test: July 10 – Lord’s, London
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4th Test: July 18 – Old Trafford, Manchester
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5th Test: July 26 – The Oval, London
