India are set to embark on a new chapter in Test cricket as Shubman Gill takes over as the captain for the upcoming England tour. Gill will lead a strong India Test squad on the England tour in the first series of the new World Test Championship cycle. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli stepping away from the longest format, Gill, at just 25 years old, has been chosen to lead India in the five-Test series starting in June.
Gill’s rise to the captaincy marks a significant transition for India, as the team moves forward without two of its most iconic players. While Gill’s leadership experience in white-ball cricket is notable, having served as vice-captain during the Champions Trophy and leading Gujarat Titans successfully in the IPL, his Test career is still in its developmental stages. Despite a promising start, his overseas form has been inconsistent, particularly in challenging conditions like England and South Africa. Nevertheless, the selectors seem confident that this bold step could bring out the best in him, just as it did for Virat Kohli back in 2014, when he was thrust into captaincy after a lean period.
Rishabh Pant will be the vice-captain of the side which also marks an entry into the Test squad for Sai Sudharsan. Karun Nair, 33, who had an impressive domestic season across formats, returns to the India squad after seven long years. There’s also room for Arshdeep Singh, Akash Deep and pace-bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur in the 18-member Test squad.
Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk and vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav
IN ✅: Karun Nair, Sai Sudharsan, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh
OUT ❌: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, Sarfaraz Khan, Tanush Kotian, Devdutt Padikkal, Harshit Rana
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The absence of three legendary players who called time on their Test careers leaves a gaping hole in India’s Test squad. While they have tried to cover it up with some strong domestic performers, the start of the new WTC cycle presents a fresh challenge to India with a new captain at the helm, a tough overseas assignment and absence of big names.
Sai Sudharsan’s inclusion in the squad is backed by his impressive performances in IPL 2025, where he emerged as one of the leading run-scorers. His performances have garnered widespread praise, including from England’s Jos Buttler, who has highlighted Sudharsan’s solid technique, preparation, and work ethic. Sudharsan’s consistency in domestic cricket, combined with his remarkable IPL season, has earned him a well-deserved call-up.
India’s much-anticipated Test tour of England 2025 will feature a series of warm-up matches followed by five Test matches. The series promises to be an exciting one, with India looking to make a strong statement in England’s home conditions.
| Match Dates | Fixture | Venue | Match Start Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 13, Fri – Jun 16, Mon | TBC vs India, 4-day Warm-up Match | Kent County Cricket Ground, Beckenham | 3:30 PM IST / 11:00 AM LOCAL |
| Jun 20, Fri – Jun 24, Tue | England vs India, 1st Test | Headingley, Leeds | 3:30 PM IST / 11:00 AM LOCAL |
| Jul 02, Wed – Jul 06, Sun | England vs India, 2nd Test | Edgbaston, Birmingham | 3:30 PM IST / 11:00 AM LOCAL |
| Jul 10, Thu – Jul 14, Mon | England vs India, 3rd Test | Lord’s, London | 3:30 PM IST / 11:00 AM LOCAL |
| Jul 23, Wed – Jul 27, Sun | England vs India, 4th Test | Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester | 3:30 PM IST / 11:00 AM LOCAL |
| Jul 31, Thu – Aug 04, Mon | England vs India, 5th Test | Kennington Oval, London | 3:30 PM IST / 11:00 AM LOCAL |
Also alongside the Test tour, India will have the India A team led by Abhimanyu Easwaran touring the country. It allows the side to take players from the A squad in case of injuries. The A squad will also feature in an intra-squad game with the main India Test squad ahead of the Test series.
Here are the India A tour of England fixtures:
Mohammed Shami is not included in India’s Test squad for the upcoming England tour that starts on June 20, 2025. While Shami is fit to bowl in the IPL 2025 for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), his lack of sufficient workload and fitness for Test cricket has led to his omission from the squad.
Shami, who has not played a Test match since the World Test Championship final in June 2023, was initially considered for inclusion in the India A squad. However, following concerns over his fitness and ability to bowl long spells required for Test cricket, the selectors decided not to pick him. Despite being cleared to play in the IPL, Shami had not been able to fully prepare for the demands of the Test format, and his ongoing knee issues have hindered his ability to gradually increase his workload.
Ajit Agarkar also cleared the air on why Shreyas Iyer hasn’t made it back to the Test squad for the England tour.
“Shreyas Iyer had a good ODI series (Champions Trophy). He played well in domestic cricket, too, but there’s no spot now in the Test side. If he does continues to do well in domestic cricket, I’m sure there’ll be a place for him in the future”
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