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Shubman Gill (Source: AFP)
The future of Shubman Gill as India's Test captain has been a major talking point after the team's disappointing performance in the South Africa series 2025. However, the latest reports suggest that the team's management is not planning any immediate leadership change, despite growing criticism.
India suffered a 2-0 series defeat in South Africa, which put both Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir under pressure. The first Test ended in a 30-run loss, while the second match saw India collapse by a massive 408 runs.
Team management likely to stick with Shubman Gill
Despite all the speculation, a recent update from PTI journalist Kushan Sarkar indicates that the Indian team management is likely to back Shubman Gill as captain, at least for the upcoming home series against Afghanistan.
According to the report, selectors are in no mood to experiment. If all players are fit, India is expected to field a full-strength squad for the one-off Test. This also means Shubman Gill will most likely continue to lead the side.
"If all fit, full strength squad to be picked for Test vs Afghanistan and no experiments with "India Test Cap" even though its not under WTC".
No experiments ahead of Afghanistan Test
India will next play a one-off Test against Afghanistan at home in June, following the IPL 2026 season. Even though the match is not part of the World Test Championship (WTC), the team management wants to maintain stability.
Reports clearly suggest that there will be no experiments with the playing XI. This indicates that the management wants consistency and confidence within the squad, especially after the setback in South Africa.
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In conclusion, while the South Africa defeat raised serious concerns, it appears that Shubman Gill will continue as India's Test captain for now. The upcoming Afghanistan series will be crucial for him to prove his leadership credentials and silence critics.
India's schedule for 2026
The Indian team is set for an action-packed season following their historic triumph in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, where they defeated the New Zealand by a massive 96 runs in the final held in Ahmedabad to lift their third title.
Now the focus is on IPL 2026, which is scheduled to run from March 28 to May 31. Once the IPL concludes, the Indian team will regroup for international duties at home, beginning with a one-off Test match against the Afghanistan, followed by an ODI series in Dharamsala, Lucknow, and Chennai.
In a recent addition to the calendar, India will also play a short series against the Ireland in June. The Men in Blue will then travel to England for a white-ball tour featuring five T20Is and three ODIs.
India will next tour Sri Lanka for a two-match Test series, followed by a home series against Afghanistan comprising three T20Is, and then a full-fledged white-ball series against the West Indies, including three ODIs and five T20Is.
Later in the year, India will travel to New Zealand for a multi-format series featuring two Tests, three ODIs, and five T20Is.
The year will conclude with a home series against Sri Lanka in December, featuring both ODI and T20I matches.
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