“You Can’t Win Without 20 Wickets”: Shubman Gill Emphasizes Bowling Firepower Ahead of England Test Series

India’s youngest Test captain Shubman Gill sets the tone for the high-voltage England series, stating bowlers will be key to victory in red-ball cricket.

As India prepares to face England in the highly anticipated five-match Test series beginning Friday at Headingley, Leeds, newly appointed skipper Shubman Gill has underlined a fundamental truth of red-ball cricket — that matches are won not just with runs but by taking 20 wickets. Speaking at the pre-series press conference, Gill reinforced the bowling unit’s critical role in India’s success and offered insights into possible playing XI strategies under England’s atypical summer conditions.

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Gill on Test Wins: “Taking 20 Wickets is Non-Negotiable”

In a clear indication of his leadership mindset, Gill emphasized the importance of aggressive bowling in overseas Tests.

“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,” said the young captain.
“That has been one of our key discussion points — how we will take 20 wickets.”

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India’s Tactical Focus: Bowling All-Rounders & Pacer Depth

Shubman Gill hinted at a flexible team composition, depending on pitch conditions.

“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,” Gill added, hinting at a well-rounded attack.

India is expected to deploy a pace-heavy approach, especially with Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and others available. The team is also weighing spin options like Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja based on pitch assessments.

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Reading the Leeds Pitch: Dry and Unpredictable

Addressing pitch conditions, Gill noted a departure from typical English weather.

“This summer has been a little bit different… It’s been a little bit dry, so I was just waiting to see the wicket one last time to decide the final combinations,” he remarked.

The dry surface may aid spinners more than expected in early matches, making team balance all the more crucial.

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India’s New Era Without Rohit and Virat Begins

With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli absent, India enters a new phase under Shubman Gill’s leadership. The series also marks the beginning of a roadmap toward the World Test Championship (WTC) mace.

Gill’s young squad is packed with fresh talent like Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Nitish Reddy, and Harshit Rana, alongside proven match-winners.

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Series Overview and Fixtures

The five-Test India-England series runs from June 20 to August 4, 2025, across iconic venues:

• Headingley (Leeds)
• Edgbaston (Birmingham)
• Lord’s (London)
• Old Trafford (Manchester)
• The Oval (London)

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India and England Squads

India Squad:
Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana.

England Playing XI (1st Test):
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir.

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Looking Ahead

As the WTC 2025 campaign intensifies, India’s ability to take 20 wickets away from home will determine their trajectory. With Gill embracing a results-driven approach and conditions demanding versatility, this series promises to be a defining chapter in the evolution of Indian Test cricket.