India’s young Test squad faces Headingley drought: can Gill’s leadership break 23-year curse?

As Shubman Gill steps in as India’s youngest Test captain, the team confronts a daunting challenge at Headingley, a venue where India hasn’t triumphed since 2002. This series opener not only tests the new leadership but also the resilience of a squad in transition after the retirements of stalwarts Kohli and Sharma.

Sources:
Timesofindia+1
Updated 2h ago
Tab background
Sources: Timesofindia
India’s Test cricket team is undergoing a major transition as it prepares to face England in a five-match series, with a young squad led by the youngest-ever Indian Test captain, Shubman Gill.

The team is adjusting to the absence of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who retired from red-ball cricket last month, along with Ravichandran Ashwin. This shift has created a "clean slate" in the dressing room, as noted by former England captain Alastair Cook, who highlighted the psychological and cultural reset within the team.

Gill, stepping into Kohli’s No. 4 batting slot, inherits a side with limited experience in leadership, with only Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul, and Rishabh Pant remaining from the previous setup. Despite this, the batting depth remains formidable.

However, the young Indian squad faces a significant challenge at Headingley, where India has not won a Test match since 2002. Breaking this 23-year drought will test Gill’s leadership and the team’s resilience.

Gill has acknowledged the advice from Kohli and Sharma, emphasizing continuity despite the generational change. The recent Test series in India, played without many main players, serves as a blueprint for how the team plans to approach the England tour.

"The Test series that we played against England in India was one of the best I was part of," Gill said, signaling confidence in the young squad’s potential.

As India embarks on this new chapter, the cricketing world watches to see if Gill’s leadership can end the Headingley curse and usher in a successful era for Indian Test cricket.
Sources: Timesofindia
India’s young Test squad, led by newly appointed captain Shubman Gill, faces a daunting challenge to break a 23-year winless streak at Headingley. With veterans Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired, Gill’s leadership marks a new era amid a significant team transition ahead of the England series.
Section 1 background
The Headline

Gill leads young India after Kohli and Sharma retirements

Key Facts
  • Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia last month, which India lost 3-1, marking their final outings in the format.Timesofindia
  • Their retirements created a significant shift in India's dressing room dynamics, removing unchallenged authority and opening a 'clean slate' for new leadership under Shubman Gill.Timesofindia
  • Shubman Gill was appointed as the youngest ever Indian Test captain, succeeding Rohit Sharma and taking over Kohli's No. 4 batting slot for the upcoming series in England.Timesofindia2
  • Gill revealed that Kohli and Sharma advised him about their England experiences before his captaincy debut in the upcoming five-match Test series in England.1
  • Alastair Cook commented on the psychological and cultural reset in the Indian team following the retirements, while acknowledging India's strong batting depth despite the transition.Timesofindia
  • India faces a challenging series opener at Headingley, where they have not won since 2002, testing the young squad's resilience.Timesofindia
Shubman Gill reflected on the absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the Test team, and revealed their advice.
Hindustan Times
1
Shubman Gill, who succeeds Rohit Sharma as Test captain, becomes the youngest in Indian cricket history to lead the Test side.
Timesofindia
Timesofindia
Key Stats at a Glance
Years since last India win at Headingley
since 2002
Timesofindia

Related Videos

ViratKohli & RohitSharma’s advice for ShubmanGill ENGvIND
Virat KohliRohit SharmaShubman GillENGvINDcricket advice
What should India's new Test skipper Gill focus on? ShubmanGill EnglandvsIndia IndianCricket
Shubman GillIndia Test cricketIndian cricket teamEngland vs Indiacricket captaincy
Ind V Eng: Gill Gets Warning Before India Captaincy Debut | First Sports With Rupha Ramani | N18G
Shubman GillJasprit BumrahCaptaincyTest SeriesCricket
‹
›
Section 2 background
Background Context

Context on team transition and player retirements

Key Facts
  • Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul and Pant are the only remaining members in the Test team from the previous leadership setup.1
  • The Test series played against England in India was one of the best Gill was part of, despite many main players being unavailable, setting a precedent for the upcoming series.1
  • Ravichandran Ashwin also announced his retirement during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, adding to the significant transition in the Indian Test team.Timesofindia
Key Stats at a Glance
Border-Gavaskar Trophy series result
31
Timesofindia
Article not found
⌂ CuriousCats.ai

Article

‹

Source Citations