Shubman Gill vs Yashasvi Jaiswal Test comparison – Who will be the best in overseas conditions?

As Indian cricket moves into a new period following the Test retirements of batting legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the responsibility has now passed on to the young players, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal. These two stars aren’t just the faces of India’s next generation, but also the team’s long-term ambitions, especially in Test cricket. With the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 cycle now in progress, their form and performances will be crucial to India’s quest for a title in red-ball format.

Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal in Test cricket

Both batters have made solid starts to their Test careers. Gill, who debuted during the historic 2020–21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, has played 33 Tests, scoring 2046 runs averaging 37.20 with six centuries and seven fifties. On the other hand, Jaiswal, who made his debut in 2023 against the West Indies, has already hammered 1903 runs from just 20 Tests at an astonishing average of 52.86, with five hundreds and 10 half-centuries.

Shubman Gill vs Yashasvi Jaiswal comparison in overseas Test cricket

In terms of overseas performance, Gill has found decent success outside, hammering 869 runs in 30 innings overseas at an average of 32.18 with two centuries and two fifties. On the other hand, Jaiswal, too, has been brilliant. In 10 overseas Tests, he has scored 812 runs at an average of 45.11, with three centuries, including hundreds in his debut matches in the West Indies, Australia, and now his latest being in England.

In the first Test of the 2025 England tour at Headingley, both players began the tour on a high note. Jaiswal smashed 101 off 159 balls, lacing his knock with 16 boundaries and a six. Gill, on his red-ball captaincy debut, hit 147 and led from the front.

Notably, Jaiswal is the first Indian batter to score hundreds in his maiden Tests in the West Indies, Australia, and England, three of the toughest venues for subcontinent batters. With 15 scores of fifty-plus in just 19 innings, he has been an impressive player to watch.

India's dominance in Test cricket

India’s performances in Test cricket over the past decade, two series wins in Australia (2018-19, 2020-21), a series draw in England (2021) and South Africa (1-1), and a strong record at home until New Zealand's 3-0 whitewash in late 2024. With Rohit and Kohli's retirements, the responsibility of maintaining and building upon that legacy now falls the young duo, which is capable enough to don the bigger roles now.

Their performances in the previous WTC cycle were impressive. Gill scored 972 runs in 16 matches, including twin hundreds in the 2024 home series against England, while Jaiswal began 2024 with 712 runs in the same series against the English side. He finished the WTC cycle as the second-highest run-getter with 1798 runs, just behind Joe Root's 1968 runs.

Conclusion

While comparisons are certain in this sport and generation, both of them have had their shares of success and disappointments. Seeing just by numbers, Jaiswal currently has an upper hand over Gill in overseas Test matches. However, Gill has now added responsibility as a captain and will look to do justice to the role.