Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes that appointing 25-year-old Shubman Gill as India’s Test captain for the upcoming five-Test series against England is a “bold move” following the retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the red-ball format.
Gill will lead India in their first assignment of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle in England, starting on 20 June in Leeds. The right-handed opening batter will have wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant as his deputy.
With the recent Test retirements of Rohit and Kohli, India’s batting line-up will be primarily led by Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, and Pant.
Vaughan noted that Gill faces a challenge to prove himself on foreign soil but mentioned he possesses the temperament for crucial moments.
“Shubman Gill is officially the new face of Indian Test cricket, stepping up as captain for the England series. It’s a bold move, trusting a young leader with a new-look team after the retirements of giants like Rohit and Kohli. Gill has a lot to prove, especially away from home, but he has shown he has the temperament for big moments,” said Vaughan, who is part of Sony Sports Network’s expert commentary team for the series.
