Shubman Gill's Captaincy To Be Inspired By 'Bazball'? India Star's Stunning Reply Viral
Shubman Gill will make his debut as captain as India take on England in the first Test encounter in Leeds starting Friday.
- NDTV Sports Desk
- Updated: June 20, 2025 11:40 am IST

Shubman Gill will make his debut as captain as India take on England in the first Test encounter in Leeds starting Friday. Gill will usher in a new era in Indian cricket following the retirements of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. A lot has been spoken about Gill's captaincy style and how he will handle the pressure of leading India overseas. During the pre-match press conference, an English journalist asked Gill whether the style of play under his captaincy will be inspired by 'Bazball'. In response, Gill came with a witty reply that has gone viral."You're going to have to wait till August to see what kind of style it's going to be," said the Indian captain. The response ended up getting a few laughs in the press room.
As India gears up for the high-stakes Test series against England starting Friday at Headingley in Leeds, newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill stressed the importance of taking 20 wickets to secure victory in the traditional format.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Gill acknowledged that while runs remain vital, it's the bowlers who often determine the result in red-ball cricket.
"You're going to have to wait until August to see what kind of style it's going to be"
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 19, 2025
Are Shubman Gill and India inspired by 'Bazball'?pic.twitter.com/C4mBdHLPEy
"Yes, definitely in Test matches, if you want to win a Test match, you can't win a Test match without taking 20 wickets no matter how many runs you score," Gill said.
"That has been one of our key discussion points, how we will take 20 wickets," he added.
The Indian think tank is also considering a balanced approach in their playing XI, according to Gill.
"There might be a case where we go with six pure batters, and you will see a bowling all-rounder and three-four premier fast bowlers," he noted.
India will hope to start the series strongly, with their bowlers playing a pivotal role in countering the English challenge under unfamiliar yet intriguing conditions.
With conditions expected to be slightly different from typical English summers, Gill revealed that the team is carefully assessing their playing combination.
(With ANI inputs)