Shubman Gill takes the reins as India’s new Test captain for the upcoming five-match series against England, starting Friday, June 20 in Leeds. This series will kick off India’s campaign in the nearing 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship cycle.

At just 25, Gill becomes the country’s 37th Test skipper, taking over after the historic exits of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from red-ball cricket. Gill is joined by all-rounder Rishabh Pant, who steps in as the squad’s vice-captain. 

Gill said he feels proud to lead the team and knows the big task ahead. ‘To be able to get this opportunity is a great honour and it's a big responsibility. I'm looking forward to this exciting opportunity�? he shared.

The squad also sees returns of Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan. Pace bowler Mohammed Shami is ruled out due to injury. Jasprit Bumrah was not picked for captaincy due to workload concerns.

With a mix of fresh faces and experience, this series will mark a big new start for India's Test side under Gill’s leadership.

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India’s Test captain Rohit Sharma announced his exit from his red-ball career. The 38-year-old star shared the news on his Instagram story on Wednesday, May 7. His decision is effective immediately, just weeks before India’s next Test series against England which starts on June 20.

Rohit bid goodbye after playing 67 tough Test matches, scoring 4,301 runs at an average of 40.57. He also notched up 12 centuries, with a career-best of 212 points. While he stayed strong in the white-ball format, his Test form dipped. He made just one century in his last 19 innings.

Rohit wrote in his post, ‘It's been an absolute honour to represent my country in whites�? He had already quit T20Is after guiding India to their 2024 T20 World Cup win. Now, he plans to focus more on ODIs, where he remains one of India’s top players.

The Indian cricket governing body also paid tribute to the veteran online with a post, ‘Thank you, Captain. End of an era in whites�?

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India claimed their third ICC Champions Trophy title with a 4-wicket victory over New Zealand in an intense final at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, March 9, 2025. Captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill led the chase with a 105-run opening stand. India successfully posted a 254 for 6 in 49 overs.

New Zealand’s competitive start

Batting first, New Zealand posted 251 for 7 in 50 overs. Daryl Mitchell kicked off the innings with 63 runs off 101 balls, while Michael Bracewell provided support with an unbeaten 53 off 40 balls. India’s spinners controlled the game, with Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy taking two wickets each.

Rohit and Rahul lead India to victory

India started strong during their innings, with Sharma scoring a crucial 76 off 83 balls. His aggressive yet composed performance gave the team a solid foundation. 

After a minor collapse in the middle order, with the Black Caps claiming wickets—including Gill’s and Kohli’s—KL Rahul guided the team’s victory with an unbeaten 34 off 33 balls. 

The chase was completed in 49 overs, securing India’s second straight ICC tournament triumph after the recent Men's T20 World Cup.

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New Zealand secured a dominant 50-run victory over South Africa in the ICC Champions Trophy semifinal match in Lahore on Wednesday, March 5. The Black Caps posted a stunning 362/6 in 50 overs. This win booked their place in the final, where they will face India once again.

Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson starred with the bat, both securing centuries. Ravindra struck 108 off 101 balls, while Williamson added 102 from 94 deliveries. Glenn Phillips chipped in with a quick 49 off 27 balls, ensuring New Zealand a strong finish.

The Proteas showed early promise as Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen built a steady foundation with 56 off 71 and 69 off 66, respectively. However, the Black Caps�?strong bowlers turned the game. Mitchell Santner was crucial, claiming 3 for 43.

Despite a brilliant 67-ball century from David Miller, the Proteas fell short—continuously losing wickets at crucial points in the game.

With this victory, New Zealand is on the way to their seventh ICC final and fourth ODI cricket. They will face India for the Champions Trophy title on Saturday, March 15.

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India and Australia played against each other in the first semifinal of the Champions Trophy on March 4, 2025. Although Pakistan is the host, India chose to play all its matches in Dubai due to safety worries. 

This choice has sparked talk about whether India has an edge by playing in one place, affecting the lead-up to the knockout stages. The Indian government has blocked the team from going to Pakistan due to security risks in the north near Jammu and Kashmir.

The Champions Trophy relies on India’s funds, so all matches are in Dubai, including the semifinal and final on March 9, 2025, if India makes it. If not, the final will shift to Lahore.

This led to issues with plans and travel for the Champions Trophy. Oddly, Pakistan lost its hosting rights and had to travel to Dubai to play against India, where they lost.

South Africa and Australia flew to Dubai since it was unclear who would face India in the semifinals. Only after India beat New Zealand, South Africa returned to Pakistan to prepare for their match on March 5. Many see this special treatment as giving India a strong advantage.

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India’s captain Rohit Sharma downplayed the idea that playing all their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai offers his team an advantage. He pointed out that while they play in the same stadium, the pitch varies each time. Each match brings challenges, so they have to adjust every time.

India refused to play in Pakistan because of political issues, so all their games were scheduled in the UAE. Other teams had to travel between different cities like Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi, facing changing conditions. However, Rohit made it clear that Dubai’s pitches are not always the same. 

The team does not know what kind of pitch they will get in the semi-final, so they need to adjust. Even though India has played well in Dubai, winning eight out of nine ODIs, the unpredictable conditions keep them on their toes.

India prepares for semi-final against Australia

India dominated the group stage, winning all three of their matches and are now set to face Australia in the semi-final. Notably, Australia’s last ODI in Dubai was back in 2019, while South Africa hasn’t played there since 2013.

The venue for the final depends on the outcome of the semi-final. If India wins, the final will be held in Dubai. 

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India secured their ICC Champions Trophy semifinal spot with a 44-run win over New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, March 02. Reserved spinner Varun Chakravarthy stole the spotlight with a five-wicket haul (fifer) that knocked down New Zealand’s chase.

This win not only sealed India’s place in the knockout stage but also witnessed star player Virat Kohli’s milestone. He became the seventh Indian cricketer to play 300 ODIs in history. Kohli celebrated in style, channeling his inner Cristiano Ronaldo with a signature ‘Siuuu�?on the field.

Star performances power India to win

Given the chance to bat first after New Zealand opted to bowl, India posted a total of 249/9 in 50 overs. Shreyas Iyer secured the first inning with a gritty 79 off 92 balls, with Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel chipping in a steady 45 and 42, respectively. Their teamwork held India stable after early wicket losses to New Zealand’s tough bowlers, led by Matt Henry.

However, Chakravarthy’s grit with the ball turned the match in India’s favour.  The ‘mystery spinner�?rattled the Black Caps batters with his debut 5/42, which also blocked them at 205. His fifer marked India’s third off the tournament.

Indian team captain Rohit Sharma shared admiration for the reserve. 'He has something different about him. There’s no doubt about it,�?he said. Initially a reserve for the Champions Trophy, Chakravarthy was later added to the main team, replacing Yashasvi Jaiswal.

NZ struggles with the bat

The Black Caps�?chase started shaky after losing wickets early. Pandya’s sharp bowls quickly dismissed Rachin Ravindra after posting a 17/1 play. Despite grabbing a brave 39 from Glenn Phillips and 32 from all-rounder Mitchell Santner, the team were reduced to 165/6 in 40 overs.

During the 41st over, Axar Patel stumped off the Black Caps�?Kane Williamson, ending the team's hopes. India’s pace attack was to blame. Led by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, New Zealand kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

Even Henry’s all-round play was not able to save them. The Black Caps were bowled out for 205/10 in 45.3 overs.

India to face Australia in the semifinals

After their victory against the Black Caps, the Men in Blue are set to face Australia in the semifinals on Tuesday, March 04, in Dubai. It’s a much-awaited game after India lost to Australia during the 2023 ICC World Cup finals.

Australia is known for their aggressive plays, which could be a challenge for India. However, with Chakravarthy on the rise and star players Kohli, Iyer, and Sharma leading the bat, India might stand a chance. 

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Australia has performed well in the 2025 Champions Trophy, despite a hectic travel schedule. They had to go from Pakistan to Dubai as they felt India would take down New Zealand to set up a semi-final matchup. 

Now, the Aussies are preparing for a big-time date against India, one of the best teams in the world. The travel might be an obstacle, but it will be a difficult match against India given the stakes.

Australia has endured a hectic schedule

Every time a team is preparing for a big match, they love scouting the opponents and finding out their weaknesses. That has been the case for Australia as they are working their way to create the best strategy and team possible against India. The schedule has been hectic with constant travel and jumping straight into training, but that could work out.

Aussie spin star Adam Zampa has spoken about what it has been like with the schedule over the past few days. 

He said, ‘And reflecting back now, firstly that win against England probably set up giving the rain that came, and then half innings against Afghanistan. There’s probably not a bad preparation here. Our preparation’s been OK. I think with these tournaments, you don’t play a lot of games anyway, so they’re pretty cutthroat�?

Considering that India will be one of the toughest countries to play against, the Aussies are doing well with how they have circled the date with this matchup. Zampa himself knows he’s not performing to his usual level, so bouncing back against India could be the key to helping the team win the semi-final match.

South Africa or New Zealand await in the Final

The Champions Trophy final will be held on March 9, 2025, between the winners of the two semi-final series. India and Australia duke it out in the first match, while South Africa and New Zealand represent the other side of the Champions Trophy field. 

It will be a fantastic series again, considering South Africa and New Zealand are both stellar teams. Looking ahead, a win for Australia will mean they must travel again, as the final is to be played in Lahore, Pakistan. They are in the United Arab Emirates for the match against India, so travelling is their reward for the potential final matchup.

The Champions Trophy has been eventful so far with good performances across the board, but this matchup between Australia and India might take the cake as the best Champions Trophy game. It will be a fun match filled with superstar players on both sides for cricket supremacy.

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