Our skipper Rishabh Pant has been appointed India’s new Test vice-captain for the upcoming five-match series in England scheduled to start on June 20.

Shardul Thakur and Akash Deep have also been included in India’s 18-man squad, announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday.

Pant will be deputy to newly-appointed captain Shubman Gill, who will take over the reins from the recently retired Rohit Sharma.

Since making his Test debut against England in Nottingham in August 2018, Pant has emerged as one of the biggest match-winners in Test cricket.

The 27-year-old swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter has already amassed 2,948 runs in 43 Tests at an average of 42.11, including six centuries and 15 fifties.

“Pant is one of our best batters in Test cricket over the last four-five years. A wicketkeeper can see the game well and that's why he is Shubman's deputy,” chief selector Ajit Agarkar said after announcing the squad.

Meanwhile, all-rounder Shardul Thakur has returned to the Indian Test squad following his brilliant performances in the domestic circuit.

The Mumbai right-arm pacer was one of the leading bowlers in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season, having picked up 35 wickets in nine matches at an average of 22.62, with three four-wicket hauls and a fifer.

Apart from his bowling credentials, Shardul also amassed 505 runs at an average of 42.08. He slammed one century and four fifties in the last Ranji Trophy season.

Shardul has previously been part of the Indian squad that toured England in 2018 and 2021.

Having made his Test debut against West Indies in Hyderabad in 2018, Shardul has bagged 31 wickets in 11 Tests at an average of 28.38. He has also scored 331 runs in Test cricket with four half-centuries to his name.

On the other hand, Akash Deep has retained his place in the Indian Test squad.

Earlier in February 2024, the 28-year-old made a memorable Test debut against England in Ranchi. He has already claimed 15 wickets in seven Tests, with best figures of 3/83.

Both Shardul and Akash Deep have also been included in the India A squad for the upcoming tour of England scheduled to start in Canterbury on May 30.

India A will play two first-class matches against England Lions and an intra-squad game against the senior Indian men's cricket team to acclimatise to the conditions.

The upcoming five Tests against England will be India's first assignment in the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.

India tour of England 2025 schedule and match start times

All times are in India Standard Time (IST)

Dates

Match

Venue

Time (IST)

June 20 - June 24

England vs India, 1st Test

Headingley, Leeds

3:30 PM

July 02 - July 06

England vs India, 2nd Test

Edgbaston, Birmingham

3:30 PM

July 10 - July 14

England vs India, 3rd Test

Lord's, London

3:30 PM

July 23 - July 27

England vs India, 4th Test

Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester

3:30 PM

July 31 - August 4

England vs India, 5th Test

Kennington Oval, London

3:30 PM

India’s Test squad for England tour 2025: Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain, wicket-keeper), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wicket-keeper), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav