With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli officially announcing their retirement from Test cricket, Indian cricket enters a new era. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to announce the Indian Test squad for the England tour on May 24, 2025, and all eyes are on who steps up to fill the massive void left by two modern-day greats.

This five-match series will kickstart India’s World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 cycle, with a fresh squad, new leadership, and renewed hopes.

Who can make the cut?

Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh, both players who are yet to make their Test debut, are set to be selected in the India squad for the England series.

Sudharsan, with his technique and temperament in domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL) has impressed all. He will join the India A squad after their first game. A good performance in warm-up matches may open the doors for him on the senior side.

India will start the new World Test Championship Cycle ( 2025-27) with the England Series.

Shubman Gill is set to take over the captaincy duties in the Test format for India.

Also Read: Who will be India’s Next Test Cricket Captain?

 What makes Gill the strongest contender?

Jasprit Bumrah would have been the natural selection for the captain’s role, but due to his workload management, it seems he is now not in the race. This opens up the door for Shubman Gill to lead the side, along with Rishabh Pant, most likely to be his deputy.

Veterans Likely to Miss Out

Apart from Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin (already retired), Mohammed Shami is expected to be dropped due to:

• Poor fitness

• Inconsistent IPL 2025 performance

• Ongoing injury concerns

India A’s squad for tour of England announced

The Men’s Selection Committee has named the India A squad for the upcoming tour of England, where the team will play two first-class matches against the England Lions at Canterbury and Northampton. The tour will conclude with a match against Team India (Senior Men).

India A squad: Abhimanyu Easwaran (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (VC) (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan (WK), Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, Tushar Deshpande, Harsh Dubey

 *Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan will join the squad ahead of the second match.

Supersports360 Predicted Playing XI for India vs England Test Series

1. Yashasvi Jaiswal
2. KL Rahul
3. Shubman Gill (C)
4. Karun Nair / Sarfaraz Khan
5. Rishabh Pant (VC)
6. Nitish Kumar Reddy
7. Ravindra Jadeja
8. Shardul Thakur
9. Jasprit Bumrah
10. Arshdeep Singh
11. Mohammed Siraj (Likely)

 Conclusion

The upcoming England series is more than just the start of a WTC cycle—it’s the beginning of a new chapter in Indian Test cricket. With a young captain, promising newcomers, and several seasoned players still in the ranks, this squad represents India’s intent to rebuild and dominate.

The final squad announcement on May 24 will reveal how India plans to shape its future in the longest format of the game.