The India Test captaincy rests with Rohit Sharma for the interim period for the England series and beyond. Yet, he cannot be considered a long-term option. Average apart, his time is drawn up, and new leadership must be found by the BCCI. Since Rohit had to step aside during the Australia tour, planning needs to start. It may be that he won't be able to play all five Tests against England. In the last few years, Jasprit Bumrah has been his deputy, and in theory, should be his natural successor. However, that may never occur. There are some reports that suggest that the BCCI has concerns regarding Bumrah's fitness for the five-match Test series. Last time he had played back-to-back matches in Australia, he had a long injury layoff. So, the board might just be forced to look elsewhere. Candidates to replace Rohit Sharma as India’s Test captain: Only two names emerge in this context Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill. Either could be the standby for Rohit for the England series and move on to completely replace him. Pant and Gill have been in the Test setup for seven and five years, respectively, and have both been considered future leaders since the beginning of their careers. Pant was the vice-captain of the Test side until injury. Gill presently is the vice-captain for ODIs and T20Is. A very small number have fixed places in the Test XI, and these two are among them. However, neither of these guys have ever captained India in Tests and they have very little experience of leadership in first-class cricket, respectively. IPL captaincy: Hits and misses But now, both of them are IPL captains. Pant was earlier captaining Delhi Capitals and now leads Lucknow Super Giants. Gill took over the Titans in 2024. Their batting keeps them vital but leadership in cricket also demands a strong tactical acumen and an ability to focus under pressure. Pant started leading in 2021, taking Delhi to the playoffs in his first season. But things dipped in 2022 and 2024. In 2025, it looks like Lucknow won't make the playoffs either. Gill took over from Hardik Pandya in 2024. After a shaky start, however, he seems to be getting better. Both have made tactical blunders. Pant for one has drawn flak for not including Badoni in the starting XI and deploying him just as an impact substitute. He also retained underperforming Akash Deep instead of going for Akash Singh, who was obviously a better option. Gill's picks have remained puzzling. Washington Sundar is seldom chosen, and even when he is, they hardly use him to bowl. Sai Kishore plays every game, yet he hardly bowls, despite the fact that he has surpassed Rashid Khan in performance this season. Also, to nobody's comprehension, Gujarat Titans frequently leave an overseas player slot empty. Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill: IPL captaincy record & batting stats: Now, about the side's batting the most influential area. Pant will see the game from behind the stumps, but his batting was always his strength. Since his Test return in 2024, he's maintained an average of 37.61; a bit of below par, though. His numbers in Australia have deteriorated. In nine innings, he could only manage one fifty, scoring a mere 255 runs at an average of 28.33. This is something to worry about, especially since Australia was one of those favourite places he loved to bat. His troubles are not confined to Tests either. He was out of form during the 2024 T20 World Cup and is now undergoing one of his worst seasons in the IPL. Also Read | Ashutosh Sharma’s Heroics Give Delhi Capitals a Fighting Chance Span Matches Won Win% Runs Average Strike Rate Rishabh Pant 2021-2025 54 28 51.85 1333 30.29 137.99 Shubman Gill 2024-2025 22 12 54.54 891 44.55 154.68 Shubman Gill over Rishabh Pant: The captaincy seems to have weighed heavily on him. As Lucknow skipper, he looks often frustrated and angry-the very opposite of his usual chipper self. So, the externalisation of this change of on-field behaviour suggests that he is perhaps not yet ready to be India's Test vice-captain. Gill likewise, scoring has not been too good in Test cricket either. The Test average as a No. 3 over the corresponding period is lower than Pant's at 33.41. Australia, one of his best overseas bookmakers, had him average just 18.60-an eerie feeling, considering the sheer rhythm looked there. Read also: Mohammed Shami Gets Death Threat, Rs 1 Crore Ransom Demanded However, Gill's major selling point is that his IPL leadership has been solid. He has even outdone Pant in average and strike rate. T20 form should not be entirely considered for Test roles. Nonetheless, Gill seems to enjoy and thrive in leadership roles. He proved himself as well as India's ODI vice-captain during the 2025 Champions Trophy. In hindsight, Pant has had the better Test career so far. But Gill, two years younger, would seem to be closer to the peak. Meanwhile, Pant looks nowhere near his best. Making him vice-captain at this time could be detrimental to both the team and his confidence. Most definitely, India will not want to drop him due to poor form if that could cause more harm.