Winning Test Series In SENA Countries Is Bigger Than Winning IPL: Shubman Gill
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Gill was appointed as India's 37th Test captain on May 24, and the right-handed batter from Punjab will make his Test captaincy debut on Friday (June 20).
A Test series win in South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia (SENA) ranks as a 'bigger" achievement than an IPL title for newly appointed India's Test captain Shubman Gill. The 25-year-old right-handed batter, who has played 32 Tests so far, will make his Test captaincy debut on Friday (June 20) in Leeds against England, and on the eve of the big match at Headingley, Gill said that his young team without superstars Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and R. Ashwin will play without any 'baggage" in England.
'Definitely the Test Series, in my opinion," Gill replied when asked which one he will rank higher as a skipper between a Test series win in England or a title in the IPL, where he captains the Gujarat Titans.
'You don't get many opportunities as a captain to be able to come to England, maybe two (tours) if you are the best of your generation, (or) maybe three," he said during the pre-match press conference.
'IPL comes every year, and you get to have a crack at it every year. In my opinion, winning a Test Series in England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa (collectively SENA countries) is bigger," he said.
Shubman Gill says winning a Test series in England is bigger than winning the IPL 🏏 pic.twitter.com/WkVrIo2oJe — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 19, 2025
Gill's side may be lacking in experience of playing red-ball cricket in England, but the skipper was unfazed.
'A lot of people talk about, you know, our side is not experienced, but there are also positives that we don't really have any baggage coming to England, because not all of the players have really been to England," he said.
'So that could be one thing that really makes a difference for us because we wouldn't be carrying any baggage," he added.
'The blueprint which we have got from our seniors in the last 5-10 years is that we can go and win anywhere; we will try to follow that with the same confidence."
Gill said both he and head coach Gautam Gambhir felt the No. 4 slot was ideal for him once Kohli retired.
'After Virat Bhai retired, I and GG (Gautam Gambhir) Bhai had a discussion about it, and we were both clear that he wanted me to bat at No. 4, and I was also clear that I also wanted to bat at that number," he said.
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