Win in England bigger than IPL - India captain Gill

New India captain Shubman Gill says leading his side to a series victory over England would definitely be bigger than winning the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The five-Test series begins in Leeds on Friday and will be Gill's first in charge of India's Test side having replaced Rohit Sharma.

It is one of the longest format's marquee series amid a cricketing landscape increasingly influenced by the IPL - the world's richest T20 franchise league.

"You don't get many opportunities as a captain to come to England, maybe two. If you are the best of your generation, maybe three. The IPL comes every year and you get to have a crack at it," Gill, who has won the IPL with Gujarat Titans, said.

"In my opinion winning a Test series in England, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa is bigger."

Gill comes from the generation of India batters who has grown up with the IPL.

He made his debut in the competition as an 18-year-old and won the title in 2023 with Gujarat - the franchise he now captains.

But the 25-year-old has ascended to the highest honour in Indian sport and described it as "the biggest honour you can get".

India have not won a Test series in England since a 1-0 victory in 2007. They were 2-1 up in the 2021 series but lost the series finale when it was rearranged 12 months later meaning the contest was drawn.

While the hosts have named their XI for Headingley, Gill and India have refrained from doing so, saying they were considering "one or two combinations".

Gill will bat at number four, filling the slot previously held by one of his predecessors Virat Kohli who has retired from the format.

The right-hander said he has spoken to both Kohli, statistically India's most successful Test skipper, and Rohit, who retired from Tests last month on the back of series defeats in Australia and at home against New Zealand.

"I met both of them in the IPL and they told me about their experiences here in England and the challenges we might face," Gill said.

"The Test series we played against England in India was one of the best I have been a part of.

"The series scorecard was 4-1 but the number didn't justify how the series was for us."