In 2025, India’s Test Cricket seemed to be a riddle that had an unsolvable answer. The same side that defeated England on their own soil found themselves stumbling at home for much of the year. They finished the year with a meager forty percent win percentage (4-5 losses, with a single draw), having played ten test matches. It wasn’t the demise of talent that we saw but rather a year of contradictions.
A young Indian side earned a gritty 2–2 draw in England, highlighted by a six-run thriller at The Oval, yet later surrendered a historic home series to South Africa, the Proteas’ first Test series win in India since 2000. Amid these swings, batting told the real story. Some players didn’t just score runs; they shaped matches, absorbed pressure, and occasionally carried India on their backs.
Shubman Gill (983 runs): Captaincy Meets Run-Glut
If leadership is about example, Shubman Gill delivered a masterclass. Finishing as India’s highest run-scorer in Tests in 2025, Gill piled up 983 runs in nine matches at a staggering average of 70.21, including five centuries. His England tour alone, 754 runs, was a statement of authority.
The twin knocks of 269 and 161 at Birmingham didn’t just flatten England; they announced Gill as a long-format heavyweight. Unlike previous Indian captains who grew into leadership, Gill seemed to bat freer with responsibility. His absence due to a neck injury against South Africa subtly exposed how dependent India had become on his calm dominance at the top.
KL Rahul (813 runs): Elegance, Then the Sudden Silence
Rahul’s 2025 season, much like all of us, is an example of finding your rhythm as quickly as losing it. In the last Test of the 2025 season, he had scored 813 runs from 10 Test matches, averaging 45.16 and scoring 3 centuries. He was absolutely cool when the heat was on – 137 at Leeds, a 100 at Lord’s played very smoothly, and a 90 in Manchester, where he played very calmly.
But the South Africa series at home unraveled him. A highest score of 39 across four innings hinted at a familiar issue when conditions demand adaptability over aesthetics, Rahul sometimes struggles to recalibrate. Still, his overseas output reinforced his value as India’s most reliable traveling batter.
Ravindra Jadeja (764 runs): India’s Quiet Middle-Order Insurance
In becoming an important test batsman, Jadeja transitioned from being a supporting role for India to being a key part of India’s test batting stability. As such, in the 2025 season, he accumulated 764 runs at an impressive average of 63.66 as India’s ‘crisis manager’ throughout his test cricket career. During the strong series he had against England, Jadeja produced two 50s in Birmingham and London and a 100 in Manchester.
Similar to how other former players like V.V.S. Laxman played an absorbing and defensive style of batting that reversed momentum and allowed other players to build on what they created while batting, Jadeja’s ability to bat while also bowling will add more value to what he produces offensively.
Key Takeaway
India’s Test problem in 2025 wasn’t a lack of runs; it was when and where those runs arrived.
FAQs
- What made Shubman Gill stand out in the 2025 Tests?
His elite average, volume of centuries, and match-defining performances in England set him apart.
- Why did KL Rahul struggle despite solid numbers?
A sharp decline in home conditions against South Africa exposed technical and tempo issues.
- How did Ravindra Jadeja impact India’s batting balance?
His consistency under pressure stabilized the middle order and masked top-order collapses.
Disclaimer: This blog post reflects the author’s personal insights and analysis. Readers are encouraged to consider the perspectives shared and draw their own conclusions.
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