Shubman Gill’s India in Same Cosite MS Shoni’s T20 World Cup 2007 team, according to pre-coach
The first test between India and England begins with Headingly, Leeds from 20 June.
The new-look Shubman Gill-led India is similar to the 2007 T20 World Cup batch under MS Dhoni that lifted the inaugural T20 silverware. Well, this is according to former Indian women’s team head coach and batter WV Raman. With the retirement of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin, the new Indian Test team is in its transition phase. The likes of Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul, who were youngsters a few years back, are now the senior pros.
Same situation as Dhoni’s team?
While speaking to the Times of India, WV Raman cited that Gill’s team is a young one and there are no such big expectations, something that can be a huge advantage. Going into a big Test series, pressure can suppress you sometimes. But with the under transition, there’s room for surprise, something that MS Dhoni-led India enjoyed at the T20 World Cup 2007 in South Africa.
“As far as this particular team is concerned, even though there’s a lot of apprehension about how the series will pan out, I for one think this team is in the same situation as Dhoni’s team when they embarked on the first T20 World Cup (2007). There are no expectations. So, that is a big advantage for this side. That’s a real big advantage for this side. And they have everything to gain. The only way is up.”
With stalwarts like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Zaheer Khan backing out of the T20 tournament after a heartbreak at the 2007 ODI World Cup, the BCCI made MS Dhoni the captain. Interestingly, the average age of that team was around 24 years, the lowest it has ever been for India at any World Cup! That is how WV Raman has compared that “OG” team with the current lot, whose average age is also around 26-27, which is still quite low considering India is one of the faces of the Test format.
India Tour of England 2025 Schedule
| Match | Date | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | June 20-24 | Headingley, Leeds | 3:30 PM |
| 2nd Test | July 2-6 | Edgbaston, Birmingham | 3:30 PM |
| 3rd Test | July 10-14 | Lord’s, London | 3:30 PM |
| 4th Test | July 23-27 | Old Trafford, Manchester | 3:30 PM |
| 5th Test | July 31 – Aug 4 | Kennington Oval, London | 3:30 PM |
Key Info:
- Captain: Shubman Gill (India)
- Vice-Captain: Rishabh Pant (India)
- Broadcast: Sony Sports Network, JioCinema, Disney+ Hotstar
- Part of ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle
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