"Disaster; Best captain"- Fans split as Shubman Gill named skipper for ENG vs IND 2025 Test series

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday (May 24) announced Shubman Gill as their new Test skipper ahead of the five-match series in England, which begins in June. The 25-year-old has replaced Rohit Sharma, who retired from the format on May 7.

On his appointment, BCCI selection chairman Ajit Agarkar said (via Firstpost):

"We discussed every option that’s there, over the last year or so, we’ve looked at Shubman at various times. Taken a lot of feedback from the dressing room. Very young, but there’s been improvement. We’re hopeful he’s the guy. He’s a terrific player, our best wishes to him."

"You don’t pick captains for one tour or two tours. We’ve seen some progress over the last year or two with him. No doubt it’s going to be as tough as it gets," he added.

Gill was also the front-runner for the leadership role following Rohit's retirement. The Punjab batter has yet to lead India in the red-ball format but has shown impressive leadership skills while leading the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL since 2024. This year, he has guided his franchise to the playoffs.

On the batting front, Shubman Gill has 1893 runs in 32 Tests (39 innings) at an average of 35.05 with the help of five tons and seven half-centuries.

Fans on X were split regarding India's new skipper in Tests. One user wrote:

"Guy with 35 test avg is named as Test cricket. What a downfall for Indian test cricket."

Another user commented:

"What a disastrous decision."

A third user added:

"Disaster!"

Here are a few contrasting reactions:

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Shubman Gill to lead 18-member Team India squad for Test series in England

While confirming Shubman Gill as India’s new Test captain, the BCCI also revealed the 18-member side for the Test series in England.

India squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain), 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, and Kuldeep Yadav.

Team India's schedule for the Test series in England

1. 1st Test: June 20-24 in Headingley, Leeds
2. 2nd Test: July 2-6 at Edgbaston, Birmingham
3. 3rd Test: July 10-14 at Lord’s, London
4. 4th Test: July 23-27 at Old Trafford, Manchester
5. 5th Test: July 31- Aug 4 at Kennington Oval, London