Rohit Sharma recently announced his retirement from Test cricket prior to the upcoming series against the mighty England. He moved away from the red-ball cricket after playing 67 matches for the country and leading the nation in 24 games. However, Rohit’s retirement has left fans stunned and curious about who will be India Test captain against England.
India great Rohit Sharma retires from Test cricket after a glittering 11-year international career 😍
More 👉 https://t.co/Yiip1sE54Y pic.twitter.com/piVO5txdEs
— ICC (@ICC) May 8, 2025
Rohit Sharma Announces Retirement from Test Cricket
Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Test cricket ahead of the upcoming tour against England. “Hello everyone, I would just like to share that I am retiring from Test cricket. It’s been an absolute honour to represent my country in whites. Thank you for all the love and support over the years. I will continue to represent India in the ODI format,” said Rohit in his statement.”
Reminiscing Rohit Sharma’s Test career 🫡
Rohit Sharma burst onto the Test arena in style, smashing 177 on debut against West Indies in Kolkata in 2013.#RohitSharma pic.twitter.com/s4iupKRF0D
— BCCI (@BCCI) May 7, 2025
Since taking over the captaincy from Virat Kohli, Rohit has captained India in 24 matches. He led India to 12 wins, nine losses, and three draws. Rohit ended his stint as a Test captain with a win percentage of 50%. The 38-year-old played 67 matches for India in red-ball cricket and scored 4301 runs at an average of 40.57. In 116 innings, Rohit scored 12 centuries and 18 half-centuries between 2013 and 2024.
Who Will be India Test Captain Against England？
With not many players having experience of leading India in red-ball cricket, it’ll be interesting to see India Test captain against England. In this article, we’ll explore the opportunities for the new Test captain of India for the five-match Test series against England away from home.
1. Shubman Gill (The Most Possible)
Shubman Gill is the front-runner to become India test captain against England for the upcoming away series. Multiple records online suggest that Gill is expected to be named as the new Test captain of India.
He led India in five T20I matches and guided the country to four wins and a loss, with a win percentage of 80.00. In the Indian Premier League, Shubman Gill has won 14 matches and lost 10 games as captain. The IPL franchise’s two matches ended with no result under Gill’s leadership. In 32 Test matches, Gill has scored 1893 runs with an average of 35.05. The Punjab-born player has five centuries and seven half-centuries to his name in red-ball cricket.
2. Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah hasn’t led India and domestic teams much so far. Despite being among the senior players in the team, he lacks captaincy experience. Bumrah is yet to lead a team in the Indian Premier League, but has led India on three occasions.
The 31-year-old player has won both matches he captained India in T20Is and is yet to lead India in the ODI format. The Indian pacer led the country in one Test match and failed to guide the side past the victory line. Jasprit Bumrah has picked up 205 wickets in 45 Test matches for India, with the best bowling figures of 6/27 in an innings. He also has registered figures of 9/86 across both innings in a match.
3. KL Rahul
KL Rahul captained India in three matches in Test cricket. He won two games and lost one with a win percentage of 66.67. The 33-year-old player had a rich experience in captaincy, having led India in 12 ODIs and one T20I match too. Overall, in 16 matches for the country, KL Rahul led the nation to 11 wins and five losses with a win percentage of 68.75%.
In the IPL, KL Rahul first became the captain of Punjab Kings in 2011 before leading Lucknow Super Giants for two seasons in IPL 2022 and 2023. He won 32 matches and lost as many games in 64 matches as captain in the cash-rich league. KL Rahul could be an option to be the new Test captain of India. However, he is surely not a frontrunner for the role. The top-order batter has scored 3257 runs in 58 matches with an average of 33.57. He has the highest score of 199, including eight centuries and 17 half-centuries.
4. Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant is another option as India Test captain against England post IPL 2025. He hasn’t led India in Test and ODI yet. However, Pant has led India in five matches, having won and lost two matches each, with a win percentage of 40.00.
Pant has a win percentage of 53.48 in the Indian Premier League, having won 23 matches and lost 20 from 44 outings as captain. He has previously captained Delhi Capitals and is currently the captain of Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025. The 27-year-old player has the least chances of becoming the new Test captain of India as he’s yet to lead India in red-ball cricket. He is also having a poor outing with the Lucknow Super Giants in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League.
Related Article：Rishabh Pant’s Performance in IPL 2025：Where’s the Value？
According to multiple reports online, Rishabh Pant is likely to become the vice-captain of India’s red-ball cricket team. Pant has amassed 2948 runs from 43 matches, including six centuries and 15 half-centuries. He has the highest score of an unbeaten 159 at an average of 42.11
England vs India Test Series Is Ready to Kick-off
India and England will face off in a five-match Test series between June 20 and July 4. Shubman Gill is likely to be announced as India Test captain against England. Meanwhile, wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant is the front-runner to be Gill’s deputy for the upcoming Test series against England.
Complete Schedule for England vs India Test Series 2025
| Test | Date | Venue |
| 1st | June 20-24 | Leeds |
| 2nd | July 2-6 | Birmingham |
| 3rd | July 10-14 | Lord’s |
| 4th | July 23-27 | Manchester |
| 5th | July 3-August 4 | The Oval |
Conclusion
As India gears up for the highly anticipated Test series against England, all eyes will be on the official announcement of the new leader in whites. With several strong contenders and a legacy to uphold, the decision won’t be an easy one. Whether it’s Gill, Rahul, Bumrah, or Pant, the next India Test captain against England will face immense expectations and pressure. The upcoming series is not just a battle on the field but also a fresh chapter in Indian Test cricket.
