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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Ravi Shastri gobsmacked watching India youngster bat, immediately asked 'Who's this bloke?', told selectors 'get him in'

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30 minutes ago

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Photos: After being ignored for England Tests, Shreyas Iyer holidays in Kazakhstan

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NDTV

35 minutes ago

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