The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has scheduled a pre-departure press conference featuring newly appointed captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir ahead of India's five-Test tour of England. The press conference is scheduled for today, June 5, 2025, at 7:30 PM IST at the BCCI Headquarters, Cricket Centre, Fourth Floor in Mumbai. The press conference will be streamed live on HotStar and can be tracked on TimesofIndia.com.

This marks Gill's inaugural media interaction as Test captain, succeeding Rohit Sharma, who retired from Test cricket earlier this year. At 25 years and 258 days, Gill becomes the fifth-youngest cricketer to captain India in Tests, behind Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi (21 years, 77 days), Sachin Tendulkar (23 years, 169 days), Kapil Dev (24 years, 48 days), and Ravi Shastri (25 years, 229 days). Gill's elevation to Test captaincy marks the beginning of a new era in Indian cricket, after the retirements of stalwarts like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin in 2024. Shubman Gill is the new face and Test captain of the Indian cricket team, joining a long, prestigious list of players to have led Team India. Gill becomes the 37th cricketer to hold the prestigious position.

The series against England marks the beginning of the 2025-2027 ICC World Test Championship cycle. India's 18-member squad includes maiden Test call-ups for Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh alongside recalls for Karun Nair and Shardul Thakur. Rishabh Pant has been named as Gill's deputy.

Gautam Gambhir, the former cricketer turned politician, is now the head coach of the Indian men's cricket team. After having a successful season as a mentor for Kolkata Knight Riders, Gambhir was appointed as the head coach of the Indian men's cricket team in July 2024. In his first ICC tournament as head coach, Gambhir guided India to victory in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.

The press conference is expected to provide insights into India's strategy, squad selection, and the team's readiness for the grueling English summer. Questions could be asked about Gill's batting position and how the batting group will shape up in the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. The session will offer clarity on the team's planning, especially how Gill and Gambhir intend to shape the squad and navigate the English summer. It's also the first public glimpse into their working dynamic as captain and coach.

India's tour of England kicks off on June 20 at Headingley in Leeds.