Gautam Gambhir era begins: India prepare for life after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma

Dubai: India’s Test team is on the brink of transformation. With the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the longest format, a new chapter is about to begin — led by head coach Gautam Gambhir, who has reportedly requested full autonomy ahead of the upcoming five-Test series in England, starting June 20.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the selection committee and Gambhir are expected to meet soon to finalise the squad and address key gaps — including leadership and middle-order vacancies. With the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle kicking off in Leeds, the pressure is immense.

Shubman Gill is the frontrunner to be named Test captain, with Rishabh Pant likely to serve as his deputy. Jasprit Bumrah, who captained India to a memorable win in Perth last year, was also in the reckoning. But a fresh injury blow in the Sydney Test may rule him out of contention, given his long history of workload management.

Gambhir, who has already been spotted in Mumbai, is expected to leave with the first batch of Test players on June 6, depending on their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 commitments. The rest of the squad will travel after their franchise duties conclude in Season 18.

India A, meanwhile, will depart in batches starting May 25 to assist with preparations and serve as a feeder pool for red-ball talent. According to reports, the selectors have finalised the India A squad and will name the senior Test team over the next few days. While the squad for the first match against England Lions, starting May 30, has been picked, some key players will join only from the second game as part of the senior team’s build-up.

At 25, Gill, one of the most gifted batters in the side, is emerging as a serious contender to lead. And he’s prepared to carry the weight of expectations on his shoulders.

“It’s up to our generation to carry forward India’s fortunes,” said Gill after Kohli’s retirement.

Since his debut in 2020, Gill has scored 1,893 runs in 32 Tests at an average of 35.05, including five centuries, but with an average of 29.50 across 13 away Tests, the ace batter will be eager to fix his overseas record. Gill, who is now settling in the No. 3 spot, could be a perfect fit for the No. 4 position vacated by Kohli, with KL Rahul at No. 3. But the selectors might retain the Rahul—Yashasvi Jaiswal combination at the top, followed by a new No. 3 and then Gill.

While Gill leads the captaincy race, he’s not the only one in contention.

Pant was once widely touted as a future captain, but his current poor form — and unconvincing leadership of the Lucknow Super Giants — hasn’t helped his case.

Bumrah, who stood in for Rohit in two Tests in Australia and won one, remains a respected voice in the dressing room. But his return from a back injury suffered in Sydney complicates matters. With five Tests in six weeks, rotation will be key for the pace attack — making it unlikely for a fast bowler to be named full-time captain.

India’s transition is no longer about finding the next Kohli or Rohit — it’s about trusting a new generation to lead in their own way. And few represent that shift more than Shubman Gill.

The numbers may still need fine-tuning, and the leadership baton is still up for grabs, but if Indian cricket is indeed entering a new era, its heartbeat may well rest in the bat — and hands — of its Prince.

As the selectors weigh up Kohli’s replacement, former India coach Anil Kumble has thrown his support behind Karun Nair. The 33-year-old, who famously scored a triple century against England in 2016, has quietly rebuilt his career through domestic cricket and County stints.

Kumble believes Nair’s experience in English conditions and hunger to return could prove invaluable in a transitioning middle order.

Gambhir, who is expected to wield greater influence than his recent predecessors, will have a huge task ahead in nurturing and guiding this young side. Home defeats to New Zealand and Australia earlier this year exposed the fragility of the transition.

The Champions Trophy triumph in Dubai gave Gambhir some breathing room — and belief. But red-ball cricket remains a different beast, and the pressure will be immense.

“I’m someone who tries to stay as much as I can in the present,” Gambhir said during the Champions Trophy. “There’s a long-term vision, a long-term plan as well. We want to play a brand of cricket that is absolutely brave and courageous, and if ever in doubt, take the positive route. Be it T20 or the 50-over format, we want to be a team that is fearless and brave. And that is how we want to shape the team for the future.”

With Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of selectors, aligned with Gambhir’s long-term vision, the former opener may now hold the reins more firmly than any India coach in recent memory.

England will be his first real proving ground.