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India vs England: Key takeaways from Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir's press conference
India's new Test captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir spoke to the media in Mumbai on Thursday before leaving for the five-match Test series against England, which starts on 20 June in Leeds. The pre-departure press conference was held at the headquarters of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Gill and Gambhir touched upon various subjects during the media interaction. . Here are the main points from their press conference:
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Shubman Gill excited to lead India
Shubman Gill said he was surprised but happy when he found out he would be the new Test captain of India after Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired from Tests. Gill also said he doesn't have any particular captaincy style, and it will develop as he grows as a player and a leader.
'I was overwhelmed to learn that I had been presented with the opportunity to lead India. It is a big responsibility and I am looking forward to a great challenge in England,' Gill said.
'I don't have any particular style. As I get more experience, my personal style will come forward. I like having communication with players and talking to them. I want to make a bond with players. It is important. Understand their weakness. If players feel secure, they can give 100%,' he added.
No confirmation on how many Tests Bumrah will play
Gautam Gambhir confirmed Jasprit Bumrah will not play all five Test matches and added that India haven't yet decided which three games he will take part in. The selectors had earlier said Bumrah won't play all five matches due to workload management.
'Not decided which 3 Tests Jasprit Bumrah will play. Lot will depend on the results and where the series is heading,' Gambhir said.
'We have picked enough bowlers. Lot of our of pacers are in great space to win us Test matches from any position. When you have someone like Jasprit Bumrah, depending on how many matches he plays, will be a great sight for us. It's difficult to replace Jasprit Bumrah but I said during Champions trophy, we have enough quality,' he added.
Gill on his poor batting form in Tests
Gill also talked about his poor batting form in Test cricket. He said that while he is a captain, his main focus as a batter is to score runs and help India win matches. In 32 matches, Gill has scored 1893 runs and five centuries at an average of 35.
'As captain, you want to win every match, but when I am out there as a batter, my focus is only on scoring as many runs as possible for the benefit of my team. Having said that, averages and numbers are not something I look at, but I do want to lead with my performances with the bat,' Gill said.
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Gambhir says pressure is always there
Gambhir admitted that there is always pressure when coaching the Indian team, regardless of the opponent or result.
'I am always under pressure. After New Zealand, yes, I am under pressure. After Australia, I am under pressure. After Champions Trophy, I am under pressure. I am under exactly the same pressure irrespective of results,' he said.
Karun Nair's County experience will help
Gambhir praised Karun Nair for his good form and experience playing in England's domestic County circuit. Nair received a Test call-up after 8 years. The last time he played for India was against Australia in 2017.
'It's great for domestic cricket. It's always great to have players who have played country cricket. He got a double hundred for India A. We will not judge him on 1-2 matches. You guys can, we will not,' Gambhir said.
Gambhir reacts to Bengaluru tragedy
Gambhir also spoke about the stampede in Bengaluru that killed 11 people during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL 2025 victory celebrations. Gambhir condemned the incident, saying that he was never a believer in roadshows.
'I was never a believer that we need to have roadshows. Even when I was playing, I had the same statement – when we won the 2007 T20 World Cup, I was of the opinion that we shouldn't have roadshows. (The) life of people is far more important," Gambhir said.
'If at all there is need for a celebration, it can be held in a closed-door environment or inside a stadium. It is very tragic what happened yesterday and my heart goes out to those who have lost their loved ones. Hopefully in future, nothing like this happens because we are responsible citizens and we should take care of all this,' he added.
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