ENG vs IND 2025: Shubman Gill opens up on handling captaincy pressure ahead of England Test series

Newly-instated Test captain, Shubman Gill, opened up on a range of topics pertaining to the upcoming Test series in England during the recently-concluded press conference at the headquarters of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Gill admitted that he was initially overwhelmed after he was informed of his batting position and captaincy appointment in the Test squad. He also shed light on how he would want to lead the players with him at the helm.   

"(On his batting position) The first time I found out, I was overwhelmed. But having said that, it’s a big responsibility. Looking forward to this challenge. We have some time to decide on the batting position, we play an intra-squad match and then have a 10-day camp," Gill said during the press conference.

"(On his captaincy style) I dont have a particular style in mind. You play and you keep developing these things. I like to communicate with the players. I would try to get them comfortable with their strengths and weaknesses. The players should feel secure, only then will they perform well," he further added.

If we are proactive with our plans, it would put them under pressure: Gill

The top-order batter downplayed overemphasising on numbers. He also commented on the state of mind of the entire unit after the seasoned duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

"(On his stats in England) I definitely want to lead by example. But having said that, averages and numbers are not something I go by. (On his stats in Bazball) They play a certain way. It is exciting for us. It is a great challenge, if we are proactive with our plans, it would put them under pressure. (On Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma retiring) The pressure comes with every tour. The two big players have served us for so long, it is not easy to fill that space. But that’s not any added burden. We’re all used to that by now," Gill stated.

Team India will take on England in a highly-anticipated series on June 20. It will be intriguing to see how Gill leads the side in challenging conditions. He himself does not have great numbers in England. In the six innings, he has only been able to score 88 runs while averaging 14.66.