Indian cricket team has been going through a lot in the recent past. It has been rough and not so polite both for the team and BCCI. Meantime, one announcement after one has been on the trending list throughout the last week. Rohit Sharma, after being named the vice-captain of the test team was ruled out of the series after sustaining a hamstring injury. BCCI today announced that KL Rahul will be replacing him as the new deputy of Virat Kohli for the South Africa vs India 2021 series.
KL Rahul is also already considered for the position of vice-captain in the ODI team. With his experience as captain of Punjab Kings, he looked ahead of his competition Rishabh Pant.
In addition to that, Subhman Gill's absence allowed him to get an advantage ahead in the test slot as well. Though it will be quite interesting to see what happens when Rohit comes back to the team. Shreyash Iyer's performance in the recently concluded New Zealand series might push him for the important No.6 position as well.
Rahul has played 40 test matches for India. However, he still has not been able to cement his place in the team due to his lack of consistency. Rahul has scored 2321 runs with an average of 35.16. He also managed to score 6 tons in those 40 games he played for team India.
Now, with KL Rahul being named the deputy of Virat Kohli, team management might look for the future of the post-Kohli era in tests as well. In that case, this might be the last test series for Ajinkya Rahane if he fails again in South Africa vs India series.
Every Test Captain of Indian Men's Test Cricket Team
Shubman Gill has been appointed as the new Test captain of the Indian Men's Test Cricket team for the five-Test series starting in England from June 20.
Shubman Gill has been appointed as the new Test captain of the Indian Men's Test Cricket team for the five-Test series starting in England from June 20. Wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant has been appointed as the vice-captain of the team.
Gill will replace Rohit Sharma, who retired from the format in May due to poor form last season, especially in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
Gill's Test career
Gill has played 32 Tests for India so far. He made his Test debut in the MCG Test on India's 2020-21 Australia tour. He has so far scored 1893 runs at an average of 35.05. There is a big difference between his average at home (42.03) and outside (27.53). The upcoming series will be Gill's first full tour.
He has also played two WTC Finals there in 2021 and 2023, and also played the fifth Test on the 2021 tour after it was postponed due to COVID-19.
India will start WTC 2025-27 cycle with five-Test series
India will start the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle with a five-Test series against England. They are scheduled to play the first Test at Headingley (from June 20), the second Test at Edgbaston (from July 2), the third Test at Lord's (from July 10), the fourth Test at Old Trafford (from July 23) and the final Test at The Oval (from July 31).
Every Captain of Indian Men's Test Cricket Team
Since their first Test in 1932, India have witnessed 36 Test captains across 589 matches. CK Nayudu led India in their maiden Test match in 1932 against England. However, it was only 20 years later that India tasted their first Test victory under the captaincy of Vijay Hazare against England on February 10, 1952 at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Only five Indian captains – Mohammed Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma – have managed to notch up at least 10 Test victories. Kohli remains as India’s most successful Test captain, winning 40 of the 68 Tests he led in with a 58.82 success rate. Leading in 60 games between 2008-14, Dhoni is the second-most successful Test skipper for the country, winning 27 matches.
LIVE: Indian Test team announcement for England tour LIVE updates | Subhman Gill named captain; Nair, Sudharsan, Easwaran, Shardul in test squad
Stay updated with the real-time updates of BCCI's announcement of the Indian men's test cricket team for the upcoming England series, starting from 20th June 2025.
Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Indian men's test cricket team's announcement for the upcoming England tour. Chief of the selection committee Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir might attend the press conference to announce the Indian men's test cricket for the important England tour.
After qualifying for consecutive WTC finals, India failed to qualify for the World Test Championship final under Rohit Sharma. Now, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli already gone from the test format, India will have to fill many gaps to start the new WTC cycle.
Who will be the next test captain? Will Mohammed Shami be picked? There are many questions which will be answered today.
So, stay tuned as we bring you all the LIVE updates of the announcement.
LIVE Updates
May 24, 2025, 8:34 AM
Why on Iyer and on Shardul and NKR
Agarkar: "Shreyas had a good one-day series, played well in domestic as well but right now there's no room in test cricket."
"Shardul a bowling allrounder, sometimes you need a player like that depending on team balance. he's going on the A tour as well. NKR is a batting allrounder at this point, hopefully his bowling will come along as well."
May 24, 2025, 8:33 AM
Arshdeep and County experience
"He's a quality bowler and has had a taste of counTy as well. he plays domestic when he can. A tall guy, can bowl with the new ball, has body of work in red-ball cricket and in recent form in the last couple of years. Bumrah unlikely to play all five Tests, we needed a bit of variety."
May 24, 2025, 8:33 AM
On Nair's inclusion!
"Sometimes you just have to make good decisions. Sarfaraz, I know he got a 100 in the first Test and then didn't get runs. Sometimes it's decisions the team management takes."
"At the moment, Karun has scored heaps of runs in domestic, has played a bit of Test cricket, played a bit of county cricket. With Virat not there, clearly we're lacking a bit of experience. We felt his experience could help. "
May 24, 2025, 8:32 AM
Why not Bumrah as captain?
"Don't think he'll be available for all five Tests. Whether it's four or three, we'll see based on how the series goes and his workload is. Even if he's fit for 3-4 Tests, he'll be an asset for us. Just happy he's part of the squad.
"More important to us a player. Once you're managing people, there's a lot that takes out of you. We've had a chat with him, he's okay with it. He knows where his body's at. KL not really, he's captained a while back, he's a quality player and hope he has a big series. With Booms, it was more about his workload management."
May 24, 2025, 8:31 AM
Kohli, reached out in April
"When guys like that retire, always big holes to fill. Ashwin also retired. Those three have been stalwarts. Always difficult. One way of looking at it is, opportunity for someone else. Had conversations with both of them."
"Virat reached out early April, seem him give 200% every ball he plays even when he's not batting or on the field. Felt he'd given everything he had, if he can't keep up to the standards it was time for him. It's come from him. Have to respect that. They've earned that respect."
May 24, 2025, 8:31 AM
Gill, one test series captain or full time?
"We discussed every option that's there, over the last year or so, we've looked at Shubman at various times. Taken a lot of feedback from the dressing room. Very young, but there's been improvement. We're hopeful he's the guy. He's a terrific player, our best wishes to him."
"You don't pick captains for one tour or two tours. We've seen some progress over the last year or two with him. No doubt it's going to be as tough as it gets," Agarkar answered
May 24, 2025, 8:30 AM
Who should open for India?
"GG and Shubman might take a call on opener once they get there. But once they get there, they'll have a think about that."
May 24, 2025, 8:30 AM
Why no Shami?
"He's had a little bit of a setback over the past week, got some MRIs done. Wasn't going to be able to play five Tests. Don't think his workload is where he needs to be. Medical guys told he'll be ruled out. We were hoping he'll play some part, but if he's not fit, we'd rather pick guys fit and available rather than waiting," Agarkar said.
May 24, 2025, 8:28 AM
Pointers from the squad
🔹 Shubman Gill named captain 🔹 Rishabh Pant named vice-captain 🔹 Karun Nair, Shardul Thakur Sai Sudharshan and Abhimanyu Easwaran make the cut 🔹 Shreyas Iyer, Mukesh Kumar, Sarfaraz Khan, Axar Patel not included
We are just minutes away from the press conference!
Hold your breath. All of your questions will be answered very soon.
May 24, 2025, 7:29 AM
They are here!
📍 BCCI Headquarters, Mumbai
Honorary Secretary Mr Devajit Saikia and the Men's Selection Committee is here to pick the team for the upcoming India's tour to England.#TeamIndia | #ENGvINDpic.twitter.com/IzqAeqFyAA
With no Virat Kohli, who will be India's next No.4 batter?
May 24, 2025, 5:41 AM
Who can be India's next test captain?
May 24, 2025, 5:39 AM
Who are in India A squad?
India A squad for the England tour: Abhimanyu Easwaran (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (VC) (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan (WK), Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, Tushar Deshpande, Harsh Dubey
May 24, 2025, 5:35 AM
When does the England tour start?
India's England tour will start on 20th June with the first test at Leeds. Before that India A team will also play unofficial test matches against England Lions. Moreover, India A will also play a practice game with the senior team before the first test.
May 24, 2025, 5:32 AM
When the Indian team for England series will be announced?
The Indian team will be announced at 1.30 pm IST today via a press conference.
Is Mohammad Shami ready to spearhead India's pace attack in the upcoming five-match Test series against England starting June 20, 2025?
With concerns over his form and fitness following a lacklustre IPL 2025 and a long injury layoff, we dive deep into whether the star pacer should be included in the squad.
From his stellar 2023 ODI World Cup performance to recent struggles with pace and rhythm, we analyse Shami’s prospects and what he brings to the table. Plus, we explore potential alternatives like Arshdeep Singh, Anshul Kamboj, and others who could step up if Shami’s fitness remains a concern.
With Jasprit Bumrah’s workload being managed, who else can India rely on to challenge England’s batsmen?
Every IPL season delivers its share of moments, but some stay in our minds longer. Remarkable sportsmanship, brilliant athleticism, and performances under pressure is what truly defined the season.
Get ready to dive into those bittersweet moments that IPL 2025 brought to us. From KL Rahul's "This is my ground" to Suryavanshi touching Dhoni's feet. Here are 10 best moments of IPL 2025.
1. Suryavanshi touching Dhoni's feet
Vaibhav Suryavanshi touching MS Dhoni's feet after their last match of IPL 2025. Image | Hindustan Times
A recent heartfelt moment occurred after the end of RR vs CSK's match that many will remember. The 14-year-old star, Vaibhav Suryavanshi approached MS Dhoni, and bent down to touch his feet during the post-match handshakes.
The clips of this heartwarming moment was widely shared across the internet, highlighting the impact and inspiration Dhoni continues to provide the next generation cricketers.
2. "This is my ground"- Kohli and Rahul's viral banter
KL Rahul and Virat Kohli laughing it out after the clash between RCB and DC. Image | Instagram
Beyond the scoreboard, IPL offers moments of pure fun. KL Rahul and Virat Kohli provided one such moment with their "This is my ground" banter.
It started with Rahul's playful Kantara-style gesture at Chinnaswamy Stadium after both the teams met in their first encounter in IPL 2025. Later, Kohli returned the favour in Delhi, mimicking Rahul's move after RCB won in their second encounter.
This lighthearted exchange showed the great bond between these rivals.
3. Riyan Parag's historic 6 consecutive sixes against KKR!
Riyan Parag during his six-hitting blitz against KKR in IPL 2025. Image | France 24
Riyan Parag unleashed an incredible display of power-hitting against KKR, by smashing 6 consecutive sixes across 2 overs. He left the crowd and the bowlers (Moeen Ali and Varun Chakravarthy) stunned with his brilliance.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi celebrating his maiden IPL century against GT in IPL 2025. Image | BBC
Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who became the youngest player to debut in IPL history, announced his presence by hitting his first ball in the IPL for a flat six! It intensifies in the later stage, when Rajasthan Royals faced GT, and this young boy scored 101 runs off 38 balls.
He not only became the youngest debutant, but also the youngest centurion in IPL history, and we're sure there's more to come in the future.
5. Punjab Kings defend lowest ever IPL total (vs KKR)
Punjab Kings celebrating the dismissal of Andre Russell during their match against KKR in IPL 2025. Image | ESPNcricinfo
IPL 2025 gave us a huge surprise when Punjab Kings pulled off an unexpected victory against KKR by successfully defending 111 runs.
The match initially seemed like an easy win for KKR after the first inning, but the bowlers of PBKS, especially Yuzvendra Chahal (4/28) and Marco Jansen (3/17) completely turned things around!
PBKS bowled them out in 15.3 overs and sealed the victory. This became the lowest total ever defended in IPL.
6. Abhishek Sharma's papercut and record-breaking century
Abhishek Sharma during his papercut celebration after scoring a century against PBKS. Image | Instagram
Abhishek Sharma won hearts with his record-breaking knock of 141 runs off just 55 balls against PBKS in IPL 2025. He pulled a small note out of his pocket after reaching his century, with the message "This one is for Orange Army."
This gesture went viral and people talked about his dedication after knowing the fact that he was carrying the note for several games!
He also became the highest scoring Indian batsman in an innings in IPL history with this knock.
𝘼 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚-𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙮 𝙏𝙊𝙉 💯
A stunning maiden #TATAIPL century from Abhishek Sharma keeps #SRH on 🔝 in this chase 💪
Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah sharing words between the match between RCB vs MI. Image | InsideSport
In a highly charged match between RCB and MI, where Jasprit Bumrah returned to action for MI, making his comeback after injury layoff, an extraordinary drama took place. Virat Kohli welcomed Bumrah with a massive six on the very first ball bowled to him.
This instantly ignited the intensity of the game where we saw two legendary players going against each other.
8. MS Dhoni's vintage run-out vs LSG
MS Dhoni in action behind the stumps during a match against LSG in IPL 2025. Image | NDTV
MS Dhoni delivered a classic no-look flick run-out against Lucknow Super Giants in a match in IPL 2025. The LSG batter, Abdul Samad, was caught short by Dhoni's brilliance, where he swiftly and almost effortlessly flicked the ball to get him out.
This display of precision and speed with direct-hit was pure vintage Dhoni.
Shreyas Iyer walks down the ground with Shashank Singh after his 97* in the first innings against GT. Image | Instagram
Shreyas Iyer scored a commendable 97* off 42 balls against GT in their first match of IPL 2025. What made his knock memorable was his decision to prioritise the team over individual milestone.
Despite being just 3 runs away from a century, Iyer consciously allowed his batting partner, Shashank Singh, to continue batting and hitting boundaries.
Eventually, Iyer remained at the non-striker's end, sacrificing his hundred and being just happy for the team.
10. The Salt-David relay catch!
Phil Salt and Tim David during their magnificent relay-catch against MI in IPL 2025. Image | NDTV
A spectacular moment in IPL 2025 saw Phil Salt and Tim David execute a breathtaking relay catch against MI. Salt leaped to take the catch, flicking the ball mid-air for David before crossing the boundary line.
This catch was taken during a crucial stage at the game, which left the fans stunned by their perfect sync and teamwork.
𝘾𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 💥
Phil Salt & Tim David pulled off a game-changing blinder at the ropes! ❤️
First Hat-trick of IPL 2025: Yuzvendra Chahal took 4 wickets in a single over, including a hat-trick against CSK.
Super over in IPL after 4 years: The first and only tied match of IPL 2025 till now, between RR and DC, which was an absolute roller-coaster.
Rinku Singh's match-winning fielding: Rinku Singh executed a quick pickup and one-bounce throw in the last over against RR, which bagged KKR a crucial 1-run victory.
Yash Dayal in last overs for RCB: Yash Dayal has consistently showcased his power to restrict the run flow in high pressure matches in the last overs for RCB.
Can Shubman Gill or Sai Sudharsan break Kohli's record of most IPL runs in a single season?
Virat Kohli's 973 runs in IPL 2016 stands as a monumental record. Can Shubman Gill or Sai Sudharsan break Kohli's record of most IPL runs in a single season?
Breaking records is what IPL is all about and Virat Kohli's record of 973 runs in IPL 2016 is unmatched for 9 years. IPL 2025 can be the record-breaking year, as GT's opening pair is having an incredible season with the bat, shuffling the orange cap with every match.
As we are heading towards the end of the tournament, it will be a major thing to keep an eye on.
Can Shubman Gill or Sai Sudharsan break Kohli's record of most IPL runs in a single season? Or maybe it is truly unbreakable.
How big is Virat Kohli's 973-run record?
Virat Kohli celebrating his 3rd century of IPL 2016 season. Image | ESPNcricinfo
Virat Kohli set the batting standards up in IPL 2016 that everyone talks about till date. He scored 973 runs in 16 matches with an 80+ average.
He scored 4 centuries and 7 half-centuries for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, bagging the Orange cap in that season.
This is the phenomenal record of most runs in a single IPL season that no one could break since 2016.
Shubman Gill in action for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025. Image | TOI
The only player who ever came to Kohli's record is Shubman Gill, with his 890-run season in IPL 2023. He is having another successful one in IPL 2025 and has already surpassed the 600-run mark.
The way Gill is firing this season for Gujarat Titans, he might just break the record and get in top. He scored 601 runs in 12 matches with 6 half-centuries to his name so far.
Calculating the remaining target for Shubham Gill
With potentially 5 innings left (2 league matches + playoffs), the race is heating up. This is subject to GT to lose Qualifier 1 and get an extra innings to go play for the IPL title.
Required: 974-601 = 373 runs more (to break Kohli's record)
Required Avg for next 5 innings: 74.6 runs per inning
Required Avg if they get 4 innings to play: 93.25 runs per inning
Sai Sudharsan in action for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025. Image | Instagram
Sai Sudharsan is currently the leading run-scorer in the race for Orange Cap in IPL 2025. He scored 617 runs in 12 matches, with 1 century and 5 fifties to his name.
This rising star has remarkable potential to with the kind of explosive form he has right now.
Calculating the remaining target for Sai Sudharsan
As for GT, Sudharsan also gets the same number of innings as Gill. It is either 2 league matches and 2 playoff matches, or a loss in Qualifier 1 to get an extra innings, making it 5 innings in total.
Required: 974-617 = 357 runs more (to break Kohli's record)
Required Avg for next 5 innings: 71.4 runs per inning
Required Avg if they get 4 innings to play: 89.25 runs per inning
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