Is Shubman Gill an ideal candidate to take over Team India’s Test captaincy?

Shubman Gill is reportedly being groomed for India's Test captaincy, potentially starting as vice-captain on the upcoming England tour. Gill has already India in T20I series against Zimbabwe and was Rohit Sharma's deputy in the Champions Trophy 2025.

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Shubman Gill the next India Test captain?

Team India star batter Shubman Gill has reportedly been considered the next Test captain by grooming for the role in the upcoming India’s tour of England, slated to take place on June 20.

The BCCI selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar is expected to announce the squad for the Test series against England in the second week of May and a lot of discussion is underway for captain and vice-captain. Rohit Sharma-Jasprit Bumrah combination as captain and vice-captain is unlikely to continue for long. Bumrah is already considered a potential successor to Rohit in Test, which is likely to be seen in England’s Test tour, as per the reports.

However, the BCCI is planning to put Shubman Gill in the leadership group by likely appointing him as the vice-captain for the England Test tour, grooming him for a future leadership role with the red-ball team, especially with an eye on the next World Test Championship cycle. The question is Shubman Gill ready to shoulder the responsibility of Test captaincy in the long run?

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Potential face of Indian Cricket

As per the report by Times of India (TOI), BCCI considers Shubman Gill as the potential face of Indian Cricket after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The 25-year-old has been part of India’s transition phase across all formats of the game and is seen as a long-term investment due to his consistent performances and maturity beyond age, which is reflected in his leadership at the Gujarat Titans in the ongoing IPL season.

Under Gill’s captaincy, Gujarat Titans are having a great campaign, with seven wins and three losses in 10 outings and have inched closer to booking their berth for the playoffs. Despite the captaincy pressure, Shubman Gill’s batting has not affected in the IPL 2025, amassing 465 runs, including 5 fifties, at an average of 51.67 in 10 matches.

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Appeal among youth and fans

Shubman Gill’s calm demeanour, stylish strokeplay, and clean public image made him one of the most marketable and admired Indian cricketers. The 25-year-old continues to be in a high demand for the brands and sponsorships, given his meteoric rise in popularity and rise in international cricket.

His massive fan following on social media, especially among Gen Z and millennials, position himself as a relatable figure who can inspire the next generation of Indian cricketers. As Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma currently in the twilight of their cricketing careers, Shubman Gill is emerging himself as the natural successor to lead Team India both on and off the field.

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Stacks up with leadership experience

Shubman Gill has already been stacked up with valuable leadership experience, including leading Punjab in domestic cricket and India A, having served as vice-captain under Prithvi Shaw at the U-19 World Cup in 2018, and now captaining Gujarat Titans in IPL. The 25-year-old captained Team India to 4-1 T20I series win against Zimbabwe last year.

Gill has been considered the next captain in white-ball cricket after he was appointed as the ODI vice-captain for the series against England and Champions Trophy. Gill had a good ODI series against England, scoring 259 runs, including a century and two fifties, at an average of 86.33 in three matches. In the Champions Trophy, Gill played a crucial role in India’s title win while aggregating 188 runs, including a century, at an average of 47 in five matches. This has further solidified his credentials as a dependable performer under pressure and a capable leader delivering on big occasions.

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Needs improvement in away Tests record

Shubman Gill has shown a lot of success and consistency in ODIs, but he is still working in Test cricket. Gill’s breakthrough came when he played a crucial role in India’s historic The Gabba Test win, resulting in Border-Gavaskar Trophy win in 2020-21. He was playing as an opener before moving to No.3 spot to accommodate Yashasvi Jaiswal at top of the batting order.

Gill has a good record in Tests, scoring 1893 runs, including 5 centuries and 7 fifties, at an average of 35.05 in 32 matches. However, the youngster’s Test record away from home does not look good, scoring 649 runs, including a century, at an average of 29.50 in 13 matches. India’s Test tour of England is a litmus test for Shubman Gill to prove his mettle in challenging overseas conditions and strengthen his claim as long-term prospect for the red-ball captaincy.

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Tough competition

Though Shubman Gill has reportedly been considered to take over the reins of India’s Test captaincy, he faces stiff competition from an equal pool of capable candidates. Rishabh Pant, who made his Test debut before Gill, has already delivered remarkable performances in overseas conditions, especially in England and Australia, and has a natural flair and aggressive mindset suited for the modern-day Test cricket. Jasprit Bumrah is likely to succeed Rohit Sharma as the Test captain, given his impactful leadership against England in Edgbaston in 2022, and against Australia in Perth last year.

Yashasvi Jaiswal is too looked as someone who could take over captaincy in Tests in the future. He has recently switched his state team from Mumbai to Goa after the latter offered him a captaincy role for the upcoming domestic season. The upcoming India Test tour of England is a big opportunity for Shubman Gill not only to prove his overseas Test credentials but also make a strong case for himself as a dependable batter in challenging conditions,thereby strengthening his candidacy for India’s long-term red-ball captaincy role.