Shubman Gill Replaces Rohit Sharma as India Test Captain; Rishabh Pant Named Vice-Captain

Shubman Gill has officially been named as the new captain of the Indian men’s Test team, following Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the format earlier this month. This marks a new beginning for Team India as they prepare to start a fresh World Test Championship cycle.

The announcement was made shortly after Rohit called time on his red-ball career on May 7. While many expected Jasprit Bumrah to take over, the selectors have chosen to hand the leadership responsibility to the young and promising Shubman Gill. Rishabh Pant, meanwhile, has been appointed as the vice-captain of the Test side.

Gill Begins Captaincy Tenure with England Series

Shubman Gill’s first assignment as Test captain will be the five-match series against England. The tour will kick off on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds. It will also be the beginning of the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle for India.

Gill has previously led the Indian side in T20Is and is now trusted to take charge of the Test team as they look to bounce back from recent disappointments. India narrowly missed out on a spot in the WTC final after a poor outing in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, which they lost 3-1 to Australia.

Rohit Sharma’s Mixed Test Captaincy Record

Rohit Sharma led India in 24 Test matches, out of which the team won 12, lost 9, and drew 3, finishing with a win percentage of 50. He had a solid run as captain, but his final two series were disappointing. India were whitewashed 3-0 by New Zealand at home and then lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy away.

Rohit’s poor form with the bat in his final Test series also played a role in his decision to step down. He scored just 31 runs in six innings and dropped himself for the final Test, allowing Bumrah to take over as stand-in captain.