Skipper Shubman Gill picks the bigger one between winning the IPL and Test series in England ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 series

Team India captain Shubman Gill has said that winning a Test series in England will be much bigger for him as leader in comparison to winning the Indian Premier League (IPL). Gill explained that a captain is likely to get only a couple of opportunities to try and win a Test series in England, while the IPL is held annually.

India will kick off the five-match Test series against England with the first Test at Headingley in Leeds starting Friday, June 20. The visitors have arrived for the series with a young squad following the Test retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Further, Ravichandran Ashwin has retired from international cricket, while Mohammad Shami was declared unfit for the series.

Speaking at a press conference on the eve of the Leeds Test, Gill admitted that winning a Test series in SENA nations as captain would rank higher for him when compared to an IPL triumph. He candidly commented:

"Definitely the Test series. You don’t get many opportunities as a captain to be able to come to England - maybe two; if you are the best of your generation maybe three. IPL comes every year and you get to have a crack at it every year. So, in my opinion, winning a Test series in England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa are bigger."

Gill has led Gujarat Titans (GT) in the last two IPL seasons. While GT failed to qualify for the playoffs last season, they finished third in IPL 2025.

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"We want to follow that blueprint" - Shubman Gill on carrying forward the legacy of seniors

While India will be without a number of their star players in England, Gill has asserted that the visitors will look to carry forward the great work done by the seniors over the years. Asked about the young team's thought process for the challenging five-match Test series against England, he said:

"The blueprint that we have got from the seniors over the last 5-10 years is that we can win anywhere. We want to follow that blueprint. If we are able to create a secure environment, I am sure we will have a successful WTC cycle."

Rishabh Pant has been named vice-captain for the Test series in England. Speaking about the team environment ahead of the opening Test, Gill asserted that both him and Pant are on the same page. He elaborated:

"Me and Rishabh, we have played a lot of cricket together and our mindset and thinking is sort of aligned. We want to create an environment in the team where everyone feels secure. I personally feel that everyone’s best performance comes when they are feeling the most secure."

India have not won a Test series in England since 2007. The 2021-22 series between the two sides ended in a 2-2 draw.

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Edited by Renin Wilben Albert