After Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket, Shubman Gill has been handed the baton to lead the national team. His captaincy record speaks for itself, as the 25-year-old has led India in five T20Is, winning four of them. In the IPL, he led Gujarat Titans to qualify for the playoffs in 2025. Meanwhile, even though Gill has done well as captain, his batting stats are slightly concerning, especially in India.
Gill has played three Tests in England, scoring 88 runs at an average of 14.66. His record in SENA countries is hugely concerning and on top of that, leadership will only add extra pressure. Speaking on the same, former India international Dinesh Karthik noted that Gill should only wear the captaincy hat when he’s fielding. The rest of the time, he should focus on batting as it is only via that that the cricketer can earn the respect of the dressing room.
“First bit of information I want to give Shubman Gill is to put your captaincy hat on only while fielding. Focus on your batting. It is imperative for Gill to score to have respect in that dressing room. In SENA countries, as an Indian batter, his average is not something he is going to be proud of,” Karthik said in Sky Sports podcast.
Don't think he has realised the enormity: Karthik
Karthik, who recently interviewed Gill, mentioned that the cricketer might not have understood the enormity of leading the Test side. He believes that playing in England is never an easy task but India have a good chance, since England’s bowling attack isn’t as great as it used to be till a couple of years back.
“I don't think he has realised the enormity of what it means to be a Test captain for India as of now. He is walking into a lion's den. Coming to England as a cricketing nation is not easy. Luckily for Shubman Gill, the England bowling attack is very vulnerable. That is the only positive I see. England's batting will put India under pressure, but the bowling is an area that is still work under progress for England and that could play into India's hands.