Shubman Gill was announced as India's 37th Test captain ahead of the India tour of England in 2025, succeeding Rohit Sharma in the format.
Like any new captain who looks to make an early mark in their captaincy tenure, Gill is no different. He has to not only get the dressing room to his side but also silence any doubters who questioned his appointment.
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With an impressive show at Headingley and a win at Edgbaston while leading the side with the bat, Gill showed signs of a good captain. But can he continue the momentum to clinch the five-match tour in his first Test series as captain?
In this article, we take a look at the list of Indian captains who have managed to win their first Test series as skipper.
Which Indian captains have won their first Test series as skipper?
The elite list includes names like the great Lala Amarnath, who led independent India to their first series win against Pakistan in 1952.
Renowned leaders like Ajit Wadekar, Anil Kumble, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma also succeeded as India captains in their first Test series in charge.
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Shubman Gill will also aim to join the exclusive list with a series win in a difficult away tour of England.
| Captain | Series | Score line |
|---|---|---|
| Lala Amarnath | Pakistan tour of India, 1952. | India won the 5-match series by 2-1 |
| Ajit Wadekar | India tour of West Indies 1970/71. | India won the 5-match series by 1-0 |
| Anil Kumble | Pakistan tour of India 2007/08. | India won the 3-match series by 1-0 |
| MS Dhoni | Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2008/09. | India won the 4-match series by 2-0 |
| Virat Kohli | India tour of Sri Lanka 2015. | India won the 3-match series by 2-1 |
| Rohit Sharma | Sri Lanka tour of India, 2022. | India won the 2-match series by 2-0 |
As of July 14, 2025, India has levelled the series against England under Gill in his first series as the captain and has a chance to go 2-1 up with 135 runs needed on Day 5 of the Lord's Test.
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