Winning Test series in England bigger than lifting IPL trophy: Shubman Gill
Newly-appointed Test captain Shubman Gill has made it clear that winning overseas Test series will be a top priority as he embarks on an exciting new chapter in his career. Gill said that victories in the SENA countries—South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia—would mean far more to him than winning an Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy.India have not won a Test series in England since 2007. They now face a formidable England side with a fresh-looking team following the retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and R. Ashwin. At just 25, Gill becomes one of India's youngest Test captains, but the star batter is aiming high with quiet confidence.advertisement'Definitely the Test series [win in England], in my opinion,' Gill said.
'You don't get many opportunities as a captain to come to England. You probably get two—if you're the best of your generation, maybe three. But the IPL comes every year. You get a crack at it every year. In my opinion, winning a Test series in England, New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia is definitely bigger and more prestigious.'Speaking to the media on the eve of the first Test at Headingley, Leeds, Gill reflected on the magnitude of the honour of leading the Test side. The Punjab batter has succeeded Rohit Sharma and will be supported by vice-captain Rishabh Pant during the series, which also marks the beginning of India's 2025–27 World Test Championship cycle.'Yes, definitely. It's the biggest honour a player can get. Captaining your country in Test cricket is something not many have the opportunity to do. I'm very excited about it,' he added.advertisementGill has scored 1,893 runs in 32 Tests, including six centuries. However, the Punjab Kings captain has struggled in overseas conditions, particularly in the SENA countries. He averages just 25.70 from 11 Tests in those regions, with only two fifties—both coming in Australia. In England specifically, Gill has managed only 88 runs in three Tests at an average of 14.66.Promising to separate the responsibilities of captaincy and batting, Gill said he wants to be the team's leading run-scorer in the five-Test series. At the same time, he emphasised the importance of building a team culture rooted in security and confidence.'Rishabh and I have played a lot of cricket together. Our mindsets and vision are aligned. We want to create an environment where everyone feels secure. We believe that players perform their best when they feel confident and backed,' he said.'WAIT TILL END OF AUGUST'Asked about his style of leadership and whether it would be influenced by England's aggressive 'Bazball' approach, Gill gave a playful response:I think you'll have to wait till August to see what our style is going to be,' he quipped.However, Gill did underline India's goal of maintaining their impressive overseas record, noting that the current team has inherited a strong blueprint from the previous generation of players.advertisementSince 2015, India have won the most overseas Tests (23 out of 51), with the best win-loss ratio—1.210—among all teams during that period.'We've got a blueprint from our seniors over the last five to ten years, showing that we can go anywhere and beat any team. That's the approach we'll continue to follow. In terms of our vision, it's about creating a positive, secure environment. We're also committed to giving players role clarity,' he said.TEAM COMBINATION: ONLY SIX BATTERS?Gill was cautious when it came to revealing the playing XI for the first Test. While he confirmed he would bat at No. 4, he did not disclose the rest of the batting order or bowling combination. The young captain noted that the English summer had started drier than usual and that he wanted another look at the Headingley pitch on Thursday before finalising the team.He, however, stressed that India will not be afraid of going in with only six specialist batters and give their bowling group cushion to go for 20 wickets in Test matches."If you want to win a Test matches, you need to take 20 wickets, no matter how many runs you score. We have been discussing about how to take 20 wickets. There might be situations where we will only be going with six batters, a bowling all-rounder, 3 to 4 premier fast bowlers or proper bowlers," he said.Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir were seen having a detailed discussion as they inspected the Headingley surface, which is expected to provide a balanced contest between bat and ball.Must Watch
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First Post
43 minutes ago
- First Post
Stokes plays down absence of Kohli, Rohit and Ashwin in India-England Tests: 'It is not going to be any easier for us'
England skipper Ben Stokes added that the home team will also not be obsessing over pace star Jasprit Bumrah, who isn't likely to play more than three matches in the upcoming Test series in the absence of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin. read more England captain Ben Stokes felt the absence of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin (not in picture) would not greatly reduce the threat that the Indian team would pose in the upcoming five-match Test series. Reuters/AFP England captain Ben Stokes shut down conversations on the absence Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin in the upcoming five-match Test series against India on Thursday, stating that their absence will not greatly diminish the threat posed by the Shubman Gill-led visiting team. While Ashwin had abruptly announced his retirement from international cricket in December halfway into the tour of Australia, Rohit and Kohli quit the Test format in the span of a week in May, more than a month before the five-Test series was to get underway. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Stokes, however, said that while the iconic trio's presence will be missed, India's ability to produce 'ginormous' amount of cricketing talent generation after generation will help fill the gap in quick time. 'There's been a lot said about no Rohit, no Virat and no Ashwin, that doesn't mean that we think it's going to be any easier than what it ever is against India. The pool of talent that Indian cricket has is just ginormous,' the England captain told reporters on the eve of the first Test against India in Headingley. 'Although Virat, Rohit and Ashwin have done amazing things for their country on the field, that doesn't mean that whoever comes in to replace those individuals are going to be any less hard to bowl at or bat against, just because of how big the pool of talent is in India. 'We've spent a lot of time out at the IPL, so I know that there's a lot of it. Obviously, three massive names, three people who have done wonderful things for their country, but it is not going to be any easier for us because of those three big names out there,' the all-rounder added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Stokes also acknowledged Jasprit Bumrah, isn't likely to play more than three Tests thanks to his recent back injury, as a key threat in the opposition camp, but added that the home team isn't going to obsess over one individual in the marquee assignment. 'Bumrah leading their attack, he's a fantastic bowler but there (are) 11 players on the team, and it takes a team to win a game of cricket,' Stokes continued. 'But we know Bumrah is an amazing bowler all around the world. His record shows that, wherever he goes, he does well. We know Bumrah is going to be a threat, but we know that every other bowler that India has is also going to be a threat. 'Focusing on one individual over another isn't what we're going to be doing, but obviously, you pay respect to your opposition, and Jasprit Bumrah certainly is a fantastic bowler,' he added. Would have been 'remarkable' to drop Pope: Stokes Stokes also touched upon reports suggesting Ollie Pope was in danger of losing his place in the team, adding that it would have been 'remarkable' for him and head coach Brendon McCullum to drop someone who had scored a match-winning 171 against Zimbabwe just last month. There were suggestions vice-captain Pope and rising star Jacob Bethell were vying for the same batting spot in the first game of a five-Test series at Headingley, starting on Friday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Bethell impressed on England's New Zealand tour in November and December before Pope underlined his credentials with a mammoth century during an innings victory against Zimbabwe last month. Bethell missed that match, opting instead to play for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League. Stokes, a loyal supporter of 27-year-old Pope, was emphatic in his backing of the batsman at a press conference on the eve of the match. 'The 'big selection' (idea) did not come from us,' he said. 'It would be remarkable to choose someone else if their last knock was a 170, and that's pretty much all I need to say on that. 'Scoring 170 definitely doesn't do anyone any harm, but having him at number three since I've been captain over a three-year period, averaging over 40, it speaks for itself.' Bethell, 21, has enormous talent and has impressed in all three international formats, though he is yet to score a century in professional cricket. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The debate over how he fits into the Test side will continue to rage but Stokes believes Pope has the maturity to block out the noise. 'In this day and age it's very tough not to see all that speculation, just because of how easily accessible things are,' said the captain. 'You don't even have to go and hunt for it. 'But I think scoring 170 in his last Test match has sort of shown how well he's handled that extra scrutiny.' England need to win 'enough games' to reach maiden WTC final, says Stokes The match at Headingley signals the start of a new World Test Championship cycle, just days after South Africa defeated Australia in a memorable final at Lord's. Stokes has been a longtime critic of the WTC's format, labelling it 'utterly confusing', and England will once again play the most Tests over the next two years. Five-match series against India and Australia threaten to make England's bid to qualify for the 2027 showpiece harder, but Stokes believes he is better off concentrating on the task in front of him. 'If we win enough games of cricket, then we'll find ourselves there at the final at the World Test Championship,' said the all-rounder. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed the winners of the upcoming series would receive the new Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, named in honour of England's record wicket-taker and India's top run-scorer. 'It's a proud moment for me and my family to have this iconic series named after Sachin and myself,' said James Anderson, who retired from Test cricket last year. 'The rivalry between our two nations has always been something special, full of history, intensity and unforgettable moments.' With agency inputs
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
"We can win anywhere": Captain Shubman Gill sets tone ahead of England Test Series
Leeds [UK], June 19 (ANI): As India prepares to take on England in the highly anticipated Test series starting June 20 in Leeds, newly-appointed Test captain Shubman Gill addressed the media with clarity and confidence, laying out his vision for the team's approach. 'The blueprint that we have received from our seniors in the past 5-10 years is that we can win anywhere,' Gill stated during the pre-match press conference. 'We will try to follow that blueprint with confidence,' he added. Gill emphasized the importance of creating a positive and secure environment within the squad, highlighting how team culture directly impacts performance on the field. 'If the environment in the team is good and the players feel secure and confident and they know their roles in the team, we want to create that environment. This will make our Test series and ICC World Test Championship cycle very successful,' he noted. India tour of England will take place from June 20 to August 4, 2025, with matches to be played at Headingley (Leeds), Edgbaston (Birmingham), Lord's (London), Old Trafford (Manchester), and The Oval (London). A new era beckons for India in the Test format as the modern-day giants gear up for their first assignment without the prized batting bigwigs Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Shubman Gill, India's youngest Test captain, has taken the baton from Rohit to guide the nation to success and challenge for the World Test Championship mace. India's squad: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), 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, Harshit Rana. England Playing XI for the 1st Test against India: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir. (ANI)
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
"GG bhai wanted me to bat at no. 4, and so did I": Shubman Gill on new role in Test Series vs England
Leeds [UK], June 19 (ANI): With India gearing up for the much-anticipated Test series against England starting June 20 in Leeds, Shubman Gill has confirmed that he will bat in the crucial number four position in the batting order. Speaking about the shift in his batting role, Gill revealed, 'After Virat (Kohli) bhai retired, me and GG (Gautam Gambhir) bhai had a discussion, and he wanted me to bat at number 4. I also wanted to bat at that number.' The number 4 spot, previously occupied by Virat Kohli, has traditionally been a pivotal role in India's Test lineup. Gill's technical prowess and composure under pressure make him a strong contender to carry forward the legacy. India will be relying on the in-form Gill to anchor the innings and provide stability against a potent English bowling attack, especially in conditions that can be challenging for subcontinental batters. While playing at number three, Shubman featured in 17 matches and garnered 1,019 runs at 37.74, with three centuries and as many fifties, all coming on home turf. In overseas conditions, Gill has featured in seven Tests and managed just 212 runs at 19.27. Besides captaincy, Gill will have to take the legacy of the number four spot to a new level, considering how Virat and Tendulkar made the position their own. Earlier India vice-captain Rishabh Pant announced that he will continue to stick to the number five in the upcoming five high-stakes Tests, while newly-crowned Test captain Shubman Gill will take stalwart Virat Kohli's number four spot in the format. After Virat bid adieu to the Test format last month, speculation were there around who would take up the mantle of bearing the responsibility of playing at number four, a spot that has been earlier held by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. India's squad: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), 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, Harshit Rana England Playing XI for the 1st Test against India: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir. (ANI)
