After an impressive outing as Team India captain in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Shubman Gill is set to lead North Zone in the upcoming Duleep Trophy.The Duleep Trophy is scheduled to kick off on August 28 in Bengaluru.
This season, the tournament returns to its traditional zonal format, with state selectors from each region picking their respective squads. South Zone are the reigning champions, having won the title in the 2023–24 edition.Gill led India with distinction in the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England, guiding a young side to a hard-fought 2-2 draw — a series in which the 25-year-old rewrote batting records.He amassed 754 runs in the series, including four centuries and a double ton, averaging 75.40 — surpassing Sunil Gavaskar’s record (732) for the most runs by an Indian captain in a five-Test series.Gill’s tally is now second only to Sir Donald Bradman’s 810 in the all-time list for most runs by a captain in a five-Test series.Nicknamed “Prince,” Gill arrived in England in early June under immense pressure with a modest Test average of 35.He was not only succeeding Rohit Sharma as captain but also stepping into the crucial number four slot vacated by the great Virat Kohli, who retired from Tests in May.
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But Gill rose to the challenge in style, showcasing elegance, composure, and the ability to shift gears when required.He began the series with a fluent 147 at Headingley, followed by a commanding 269 and a quickfire 161 in both innings at Edgbaston, helping India level the series.After a quiet outing at Lord’s, where England took the lead, Gill returned to form in Manchester with a gritty 103 off 238 balls as India secured a draw.A first-innings run-out in the Oval Test left him agonisingly 31 short of Gavaskar’s record. He scored only 11 in the second innings.Gill matured as a leader throughout the series, handling the vocal presence of several seniors and coping with the limited availability of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.With the series on the line in the fifth Test, India seemed headed for defeat before England collapsed, thanks to a fiery spell by Mohammed Siraj.The thrilling six-run win turned a likely 3-1 series loss into a 2-2 draw, dramatically shifting the narrative. Gill was named India’s Player of the Series, capping off a memorable tour.
