India’s Cricket Team Under Fresh Leadership

India’s cricket team, under new captaincy led by Shubman Gill, gave a dominating performance on Day 1 of the inaugural Test against England at Headingley, Leeds, and concluded at 359/3 on June 20, 2025. This overwhelming presentation, spearheaded by centuries from Gill (127*) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (101), marked the beginning of a new era for Indian Test cricket after the retirements of veterans Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin.

As the first assignment of the 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, the five-match series against England, running from June 20 to August 4, holds significant implications for India’s campaign to reclaim a WTC final berth. Gill’s leadership, combined with the emergence of young talent, has sparked comparisons to Kohli’s aggressive captaincy, setting the stage for a thrilling series.

At 25, Shubman Gill became India’s 37th Test captain, one of the youngest after legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev. His tactical approach at Headingley showcased a blend of composure and aggression, reminiscent of Kohli’s era. Opting to bat first after England’s Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to bowl, Gill’s decision capitalized on a batting-friendly pitch, defying England’s seam-heavy attack. His in-game captaincy was characterized by aggressive field settings and bowler changes, with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj making use of initial movement to keep England’s bowling unit on their toes.

Former India coach Ravi Shastri complimented Gill’s “tactical maturity” on The ICC Review, pointing out his cool temperament developed while Gujarat Titans’ IPL captain. Gill’s century, made off 184 balls with classy drives and pulls, highlighted his leadership skills to drive from the front, becoming only the fifth Indian to get a ton on debut Test captaincy, following Kohli and Mohammad Azharuddin.

The 23-year-old opener Yashasvi Jaiswal became the pillar of India’s batting unit after slamming 101 off 159 balls in Headingley. His fifth Test hundred, putting him at the forefront of overseas batsmen to have tons in Australia and England before reaching 23, demonstrated his proven ability to handle seaming conditions. Jaiswal’s 129-run stand with Gill stabilized India after KL Rahul’s (42) and debutant Sai Sudharsan’s (0) early departures. 

In an interview with BBC’s Test Match Special, Jaiswal credited their “clear communication” and session-by-session strategy, which dampened England bowlers such as Brydon Carse and Chris Woakes. With 1,798 Test at an average of 52.88, Jaiswal is 202 runs away from 2,000 Test runs and 464 away from 3,000 international runs, benchmarks he can reach in this series. His record 36 sixes in 2024 and being named to the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year 2024 solidify his place as India’s batting future.

India’s team for the tour of England combines youth and experience as players such as Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, and Nitish Kumar Reddy take center stage. Sudharsan, who had a duck on debut, played his way into the team with 850+ runs in the 2024 Ranji Trophy, while Jurel, with a top Test score of 90, made an impressive comeback with 80 and 68 in an India A game vs Australia A. 

Vice-captain Rishabh Pant also brought some firepower with an unbeaten 65 off 73 balls, his attacking strokeplay complementing Gill’s calmness. The bowling unit, paced by Jasprit Bumrah, includes Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Kuldeep Yadav, with Shardul Thakur’s all-round talent providing depth. The fact that Mohammed Shami was left out of the team because of fitness issues puts added pressure on Bumrah, who was ignored for captaincy to ensure his workload does not become excessive. This young middle-order, supported by seniors such as Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul, is a statement of India’s rebuild policy under coach Gautam Gambhir, who seeks to construct for the future.

India-England series, which forms part of the 2025-27 cycle of WTC, is vital to India after they failed to qualify for the 2025 WTC final due to defeats against New Zealand (0-3) and Australia (1-3). Bidding for the newly re-named Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy, India seek to end an 18-year wait for a Test series victory in England, which was last accomplished in 2007 with Rahul Dravid as captain. A positive beginning at Headingley, where India’s 359/3 bettered their earlier best Day 1 score in England (338/7 at Edgbaston, 2022), is a good omen.

The tour, encompassing Leeds, Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford, and The Oval, challenges India’s resilience against England’s “Bazball” style under Stokes and Brendon McCullum, who are unbeaten in home series since 2022. A win in the series could push India towards the top of the WTC table, with crucial partnerships such as Jaiswal-Gill’s 129-run partnership and Pant’s late charge proving decisive.

England’s choice to bowl first came back to haunt them as their bowling line-up, which included Stokes, Carse, Woakes, and Shoaib Bashir, could not maintain pressure. Stokes’ two scalps, including Jaiswal’s, brought temporary relief, but India’s batsmen capitalized on loose balls. England bowling coach Tim Southee conceded to BBC’s Test Match Special that it was “India’s day,” attributing the development of the pitch and India’s class. Against a young Indian team that is in transition, England will have to use their home ground and Bazball belligerence, ably spearheaded by Joe Root and Harry Brook, to stem the momentum of India.

India’s Day 1 domination at Headingley, prompted by Gill’s leadership and Jaiswal’s brilliance, heralds a new era after Kohli-Rohit. Social media was abuzz with admiration as 14-year-old cricketer Vaibhav Suryavanshi posted Jaiswal’s century celebration on X, showing the enthusiasm of India’s young supporters. The series, telecast on Sony Sports and JioHotstar, has revitalized hopes for a historic win. As Gill explained to the ICC, “Executing plans is key.” With four Tests to go, India’s combination of youth and planning puts them in a position to take on England and define their WTC campaign, demonstrating the future is now.

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