One of IPL 2025's most impressive captains likely to take over as India's Test skipper after Rohit Sharma's retirement: Reports

Young Indian batter Shubman Gill will likely be named Test captain after Rohit Sharma retired from the format on Wednesday, May 7, as per reports from Hindustan Times. Rohit announced his Test retirement last night through his Instagram handle.

The 38-year-old had been the Indian Test captain since replacing Virat Kohli in early 2022.

Meanwhile, Gill has never led the Indian Test side but has captained them in five T20I games. He captained India to a win 4-1 in the T20I series in Zimbabwe last year.

The 25-year-old has been highly impressive as the Gujarat Titans (GT) skipper in the ongoing IPL. GT are sitting atop the points table with eight wins in 11 outings.

A statement from a Hindustan Times source read:

"Ideally, you want someone who can play all the matches in a series. Shubman is already leading in the IPL, and he has shown he has a great head on his shoulders. Gujarat Titans have been performing well and Shubman has excelled both as a captain and batter. He can take the team to new heights."

Jasprit Bumrah led India in Rohit's absence for two of the five Tests in their latest series in Australia. However, Bumrah's recurring injuries remain a cause of concern, resulting in the management searching for a younger and more reliable option.

Shubman Gill's Test numbers raise questions over potential captaincy decision

Shubman Gill has struggled for consistency as a batter in Tests, raising questions from fans about his potential appointment as India's red-ball captain. The 25-year-old has played 32 red-ball games for India but averages a sub-par 35.05 with five centuries and seven half-centuries.

Gill is coming off a poor Test tour of Australia, averaging a dismal 18.60 in three games without a half-century. The youngster was appointed India's white-ball vice-captain last year and is seen as their best all-format batter, along with Yashasvi Jaiswal, for the next decade.

India's next Test assignment will be the five-match series in England, starting June 20. Gill has played only three Tests in England and averages an unimpressive 14.66 in six innings.