A few years ago, during a Test match, Rohit Sharma publicly expressed his frustration over the lack of intensity from his younger teammates with the memorable line, "Yadi koi garden mey ghooma, toh sab ki…" This outburst quickly became a viral meme, later lightheartedly reenacted by Sharma himself. However, at the time, his anger was genuine, reflecting a serious concern about the team's commitment.
Now, with both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli having retired from Test cricket, Indian Test leadership falls to the very generation Sharma once criticized for their perceived casualness. Sharma's retirement was anticipated, but Kohli's sudden departure has left the Indian Test squad with a significant lack of experience and an almost certainly novice captain at the helm. READ MORE
India Test squad live updates: Why was Sarfaraz not selected?
“Sometimes you just have to make good decisions. Sarfaraz, I know he got a 100 in the first Test (against New Zealand) and then didn’t get runs. Sometimes these are 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," said Agarkar on Sarfaraz.
"We can't pick 50 players now, so naturally when you have to pick 18 players, some players will be missing out," Agarkar added.
India Test squad live updates: India vs England Test schedule
India Test squad live updates: Key talking points
India Test squad live updates: Recap of all Indian touring sides
India U-19 Squad for England tour: Ayush Mhatre (C), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Vihaan Malhotra, Maulyarajsinh Chavda, Rahul Kumar, Abhigyan Kundu (Vice-Captain & WK), Harvansh Singh (WK), R S Ambrish, Kanishk Chouhan, Khilan Patel, Henil Patel, Yudhajit Guha, Pranav Raghavendra, Mohammed Enaan, Aditya Rana, Anmoljeet Singh.
India A squad for 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.
India's Test squad for England tour: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
India Test squad live updates: ‘I would have great time in England’: Sai Sudharsan on his India ‘A’ call-up for England tour
Sai Sudharsan was chuffed about his selection for the upcoming India ‘A’ tour of England. However, Sudharsan — who has prior experience of England conditions while representing Surrey — sights are firmly set on guiding the former champions to Qualifier 1 and the final of IPL 2025.
“Mentally, we will have to be switched on for the IPL first. Once that story is over, then we can probably think about the India ‘A’ story. But definitely happy for that opportunity, and I think I would have a great time there,” said Sudharsan after the game against Lucknow Super Giants.
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India Test squad live updates: Arshdeep's left-arm angle
Agarkar on Arshdeep Singh's inclusion: "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."
India Test squad live updates: Karun Nair's return after 7 years!
Agarkar on Nair's experience: "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. "
India Test squad live updates: Why Bumrah wasn't made C/VC
India Test squad live updates: Agarkar on Kohli retirement
'When guys like Rohit and Virat 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, seen 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.'
India Test squad live updates: Agarkar on Shami's miss
India Test squad live updates: Sriram Veera on Shubman Gill
It’s not often that a player who was nearly dropped just a year back becomes the Test captain. It’s definitely not often that a player who was dropped from the playing XI midway during the last Test series that India played, just months back, becomes the captain. But here we are, due to the big-ticket retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli along with the selectors’ lack of confidence in the other captaincy candidates – Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant – that Shubman Gill, 24, has been anointed as India’s Test captain. Sriram Veera on India's new Test captain
India Test squad live updates: Sai Sudharsan's big break
This was a dream that was ignited during the lockdown by a mom, who could no longer watch her son being distracted. Usha Bharadwaj, a former state-level volleyball player and now a strength and conditioning coach, would show her son B Sai Sudharsan videos of Virat Kohli’s intensity while training. Sai Sudharsan found a spark, transforming himself into a quality batsman that Indian cricket couldn’t ignore. And five years later, with his idol who inspired retiring, and opening up a spot in the Indian team, Sai Sudharsan got his big break. Venkata Krishna writes on Sai Sudharsan's run to the Test team
India Test squad live updates: India Test team
India's Test squad for England series: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav
India Test squad live updates: Agarkar in the house
Ajit Agarkar and Shiv Sundar Das are in attendance for the press conference.
India Test squad live updates: The India A team members
The BCCI had recently announced the India A squad which will potentially bear a few senior team players as well. India A will play two unofficial Tests against the England Lions before an intra-squad match with the senior India side.
India A squad for 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.
India Test squad live updates: Done and dusted
The selection meeting has been wrapped up at the BCCI headquarters. Just a few minutes away from the official announcement from Ajit Agarkar on India's 16-man roster.
India Test squad live updates: Set for the press conference
The press conference is being prepared for the squad announcement, set to be conducted by the chief national selector Ajit Agarkar.
India Test squad live updates: India's WTC 2025-27 schedule
India Test squad live updates: Squad size
Our correspondent Devendra Pandey reports that the BCCI is set to announce a 16-member squad for the series.
India Test squad live updates: Meeting's on
Selectors in the house. A slew of important deliberations are on the table!
India Test squad live updates: The sure-shot picks
Here's a look at India's absolute certainties to make the squad this afternoon. It is a set of players India will hope will sustain through another cycle of the WTC.
India's Test core
Batting: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant
Bowlers: Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav
India Test squad live updates: Save the dates!
India vs England Test schedule
1st Test, 20–24 June 2025 - Headingley, Leeds
2nd Test, 2–6 July 2025 - Edgbaston, Birmingham
3rd Test, 10–14 July 2025 - Lord's, London
4th Test, 23–27 July 2025 - Old Trafford, Manchester
5th Test, 31 July – 4 August 2025 - The Oval, London
India Test squad live updates: Youngest Indian skipper?
Is Shubman Gill the youngest Indian Test men's skipper? Well, he won't be, not quite. Sachin Tendulkar was only 23 years old when he led India for the first time in a Test in 1996 against Australia in Delhi. There are a few more young skippers that India have had over the years...
Youngest Indian Test captains
Aged 25y 258d today, Gill could become the fourth-youngest player to lead India in a Test when the England series begins on June 20.
India Test squad live updates: Shubman Gill's Test record
Shubman Gill in Tests - MT: 32; Runs: 1893; AVE: 35.05; 100s: 5; 50s: 7
Gill in England: MT: 3; Runs: 88; AVE: 14.66; 50s: 0
India Test squad live updates: India's middle-order contenders
In the wake of Rohit and Kohli's exit, a hoard of changes are expected in the line-up. It will begin with Shubman Gill likely moving to the prime No. 4 slot and a new contender emerging on either side at 3 and 5. Despite his solid performances at number five, KL Rahul is primed to take over the opening role alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal after having put in sturdy bits in the 24-25 BGT and the previous tour to England in 2021.
Four batters in Sai Sudharsan, Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan and Shreyas Iyer will be up for discussions to slot in two of the spots at No. 3 and No. 5. While Iyer runs an outside chance, the impressive Sudharsan is all but certain to earn his maiden Test call-up.
India Test squad live updates: Contenders for Shami's spot
Mohammed Shami's potential absence from the squad could create an opening for either left-arm paceman Arshdeep Singh or Haryana's right-arm seamer Anshul Kamboj. Kamboj boasts an impressive first-class record with 74 wickets in 22 matches.
Arshdeep Singh emerges as a strong contender, particularly given his valuable county cricket experience with Kent last season. Meanwhile, Anshul Kamboj has already earned a call-up to the India A squad that is set to tour England, indicating the selection committee's confidence in his abilities.
India Test squad live updates: Has Mohammed Shami played his last for India?
It indeed seems like Mohammed Shami's international career future is under a cloud. The BCCI’s medical team has informed the Indian board that the 34-year-old pacer won’t be able to bowl longer spells. Chances of him playing all the five Test matches are bleak too, going ahead and the selectors will be apprehensive of carrying him alongside Jasprit Bumrah for the gruelling series.
Shami hasn't featured in a Test for India since the WTC final against Australia in 2023. READ MORE
India Test squad live updates: Gill front-runner for captaincy
The Indian Express had previously reported that Shubman Gill is the front-runner take over the Test captaincy from Rohit Sharma.
The Indian Express understands that the senior selection committee headed by former India all rounder Ajit Agarkar is of the opinion that 25-year-old Gill is the ideal candidate to take over as Test captain. READ MORE
India Test squad live updates: Shami's inclusion in question!
Mohammed Shami unlikely for England Test series; ability to bowl long spells a concern
WITH just few days left before the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) picks its squad for the five-match Test series against England, it is learnt that the senior selection committee is likely to leave out ace pacer Mohammed Shami from the tour.
BCCI’s medical team has informed the Indian board that the 34-year-old pacer won’t be able to bowl longer spells. Chances of him playing all the five Test matches are bleak too, going ahead. There were deliberations over taking Shami along with the Indian team and playing him in few games. However, with Jasprit Bumrah already informing the board that his body can’t take the toll of more than three Tests matches, the selection committee were known to be in a dilemma on whether to fly out with a similarly iffy bowler, who might only play few games. It hampers the planning of the Indian side too... READ MORE
India Test squad live updates: Welcome
The first step to India's full-blown Test transition will begin this afternoon in Mumbai when chief selector Ajit Agarkar announces the Test squad for the England tour. A new Test captain, a new WTC cycle, a set of fresh middle-order bats and a young pace attack. A lot will change this afternoon in Indian cricket, starting with the leadership of a new era. Stay tuned for all the updates from Mumbai!