In his maiden assignment as Test captain, Shubman Gill led the Indian team from the front on the tour of England, comprising five matches.

Gill finished the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy as the leading run-getter, amassing a staggering 754 runs in 10 innings, including four hundreds. His prolific display helped India level the series at 2-2.

Impressed with his stunning exploits, former head coach Ravi Shastri hailed Shubman Gill as the next rising star in Indian cricket.

“No question, Shubman Gill. He’ll be around for a long, long time because we’ve seen what kind of series he’s had here. I think he’s only 25 years of age, and as you know, with this exposure, he’ll get even better,” Shastri told Sky Sports Cricket.

"He’s right up there. He’ll be up there. He’s composed. He’s very regal. The way he bats, he’s very easy on the eye, very fluent and has the ability to play the long innings,” he added.

Gill proved his mettle as a leader soon after stalwarts like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma bid adieu to the Test format. Tasked with leading a team in transition, the young skipper took the challenge head-on and produced a remarkable result.

India's next challenge will be at the Asia Cup 2025, which will be played in the UAE in T20I format. One of the major selection headaches for the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee in picking the squad will be on how to fit Gill. The 25-year-old has not played a T20I match since July 2024, amid the priority over Test cricket and ODIs.

After the blockbuster England series, there has been a growing consensus over wanting Shubman Gill's return to the shortest format. However, with the top order firing through Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and skipper Suryakumar Yadav, India’s balance could face a compelling test if Gill finds a place in the squad for the continental event.