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The New Era Officially Begins; But India, Be A Little Kinder To Shubman Gill, Your Test Captain

Debashis Sarangi

Shubman Gill will lead India for the 1st time in England [Source: @ImTanujSingh/X]Shubman Gill will lead India for the 1st time in England [Source: @ImTanujSingh/X]

Cricket fanatics in India will seldom forget May 2025, as the month witnessed abrupt ends to the Test careers of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, unarguably the greatest servants of the modern-day game. The wave of change that was inevitable after Australia blanked India by 3-1 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under finally came into existence, resulting in a dramatic shift in the Indian leadership group. 

The result? Here we are, getting ready for what’s supposed to be the first major assignment under the ‘new era’ spearheaded by none other than Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill. 

A greenish deck and Headingley’s scorching sun might be one of the most unusual collabs in England, but that’s what India are going to get in the series opener. 

This could just mark the beginning of a tiring English summer for India’s young blood, as they must’ve known the trend by now: ‘Expect the Unexpected’. 

Inexperienced Core Could Play Spoilsport To Shubman Gill’s Maiden Captaincy Stint

One of the most significant challenges for the flag-bearers of the new era will be the absence of players who have previously played in England. Although Arshdeep, Sudharsan and Nair have featured in the County Championship, the challenge is entirely different when it comes to facing high-quality attacks in international cricket. 

Also, with Jasprit Bumrah unavailable for all five Tests, the onus to lead the Indian pace attack will be on Shardul, Siraj, Prasidh, Arshdeep, Akash Deep and Harshit, four of whom haven’t played a Test match in England. 

The Burden Of Expectations Might Take A Toll

While it’s understandable that Shubman Gill is the country’s biggest brand, backed by millions of fans, it only takes a handful of failures for those admirers to turn into critics, especially in India. 

The case was different when Sourav Ganguly took over the reins from scratch and guided India amid the calamity of infamous match-fixing scandals. But two decades later, social media has evolved into a powerful tool, and its detrimental impacts are needless to elaborate. 

A Ray Of Hope That Can Inspire Generations

With rarely anyone backing India for a series victory, Shubman Gill can take inspiration from his predecessors, particularly Virat Kohli. 

It was indeed a turbulent phase in Indian cricket when MS Dhoni hung up his boots, handing over the captaincy to Kohli, a 30-odd Tests veteran, back in 2015. 

What followed next was nothing short of a fairy tale, as India rose from the seventh-ranked Test side to an invincible outfit at home. Although the challenge is tougher for Gill, who gets a tricky overseas tour to start with, the dismissive predictions against India must encourage its youth to put up a spirited effort and kickstart the new era with a bang. 

The Final Verdict

Miracles like The Gabba 2021 happen once in a while, but interestingly, there are no limits to miracles. 

It was an Indian side that bounced back from the horrors of 36 all-out, eventually lifting the prestigious BGT Down Under. Coincidentally, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant headlined India’s historic run-chase, and they are pretty capable of scripting a similar success on English soil. 

Even if they don’t, it’s the job of our reactionary public to support them, considering the current state of India in Test cricket. As they say, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’; it took years for Virat Kohli to establish India as a superpower in Tests. And if backed and supported, who knows, Gill can just be India’s first captain to clinch the WTC mace.