No safety nets: Can Gill recreate the Kohli-era magic in WTC 2027?

For nearly a decade, Indian Test cricket had a safety net. Whenever a top order collapse struck on a grey morning in England or a turning track in Asia, the experience of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma was there to absorb the pressure.

That era is now over.

With both veterans having retired from Test cricket, India have entered a new phase under Shubman Gill. A younger core has been pushed into the demands of the 2025 to 2027 World Test Championship cycle.

With half the cycle behind them, the grace period is over. India are fifth in the WTC standings with a points percentage of 48.15% after nine Tests. They have nine more Tests left, against Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Australia.

The destination is The Oval in London, where the 2027 WTC final will be played. The challenge for Gill's side is to make sure they are still in the race when they get there.

The rollercoaster under Gill: Talent meets instability

Gill's first phase as Test captain has produced encouraging signs but also exposed the inconsistency that comes with rebuilding a side after the departure of two of its most experienced batters.

Statistically, Gill has shouldered the individual load from the front. Amassing more than 950 runs in the 2025 to 2027 cycle, including a monumental double hundred and five centuries, he leads India's run charts and sits among the leading run scorers in the WTC.

The 2-2 draw in England demonstrated that India remains capable of competing in difficult overseas conditions. The series also gave Gill and his young group valuable exposure to the demands of Test cricket away from home.

But the wider WTC campaign has been less convincing.

Despite Gill's individual brilliance, India's points percentage has fallen to 48.15% after nine Tests, with four wins, four losses and one draw, leaving them fifth in a tightly packed race for the top two spots.

That makes the next nine Tests fundamentally different from the first nine. India are no longer simply building a new team. They are building it while trying to qualify for a third WTC final.

Can Gill recreate the Kohli blueprint?

There is an interesting parallel between Gill's challenge and the one Virat Kohli faced when he took over as India's full-time Test captain.

Kohli inherited a team that needed a shift in mindset. Under him, India placed a greater emphasis on fitness, fast bowling and winning overseas. The emergence of a strong pace attack helped India become a far more competitive Test side outside home conditions.

The results followed. India became the first Asian team to win a Test series in Australia and reached the WTC final in 2021 and 2023.

Kohli's contribution was not just about the runs he scored. He helped build a team and a culture around Test cricket.

Gill now faces a different version of that challenge.

He has inherited a younger side after the exit of two of India's biggest Test batters, but he does not have years to quietly build. The WTC cycle is already underway, India are fifth and nine Tests remain.

The question is whether Gill can give this team the same identity and hunger that became a defining feature of the Kohli era.

Kohli helped build the team that took India to the next level. Gill now has to build what comes after it.

Nine Tests, one shot at the Oval

India's remaining schedule leaves little room for another extended dip.

First comes Sri Lanka, where two Tests away will test India's ability to handle spin and unfamiliar conditions.

Then comes New Zealand. Two Tests in conditions traditionally favorable to seam bowling will provide another major examination for India's top order.

But the biggest assignment will come at home against Australia.

The five Test Border Gavaskar Trophy series will account for more than half of India's remaining matches. It could ultimately decide the direction of the campaign.

Sri Lanka will test India's adaptability. New Zealand will test them overseas. Australia will test their temperament over five Tests.

How much does India need to win?

There is no fixed number of wins that guarantees India a place in the final.

The WTC is decided by points percentage, and India's qualification will also depend on how the other contenders perform.

But India needs a significant improvement from their current 48.15%.

If they win six of their remaining nine Tests and lose the other three, their final points percentage would be around 63%. Seven wins would take them to roughly 67%, while five wins would leave them around 59%.

Six wins, therefore, is a strong target rather than an automatic qualification requirement. India could still qualify with fewer wins if rival teams drop enough points, while a strong run from the leading contenders could make the race tighter.

The objective is simple: India need to collect enough points to stay above the qualification line when the cycle ends.

The new India has to stand on its own

The retirement of Kohli and Rohit has removed more than two big names from the dressing room. It has taken away two of India's most experienced pressure absorbers in Test cricket.

That responsibility now falls on Gill, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah and the younger members of the squad.

Gill has already shown that he can carry the batting. The bigger question is whether the team around him can turn individual performances into consistent results.

India does not need to win every remaining series. They need to avoid the kind of collapses and missed opportunities that can turn a competitive Test into a damaging result.

Can Gill take India back to the final?

India has reached the WTC final twice, in 2021 and 2023. They missed the 2025 final.

Now, after a major change in personnel and leadership, they are trying to get back there again.

The route to The Oval is still open. But the margin for error is getting smaller.

The next nine Tests will show whether Gill can turn a talented young group into a consistent Test side and whether the team can establish an identity of its own without the safety net that existed for so long.

Kohli once inherited a team and helped build an era around it.

Now Gill has inherited the next one.

The question is whether he can make it his own.