Shubman Gill’s past remark, ‘Leadership matters to me,’ resurfaces following his appointment as India’s Test captain

After Rohit Sharma retired, Shubman Gill was named India’s new Test captain. The national squad will be captained by the 25-year-old batsman, who made his Test debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2020. The five-match Test series against England will begin on June 20, 2025.

During a 2024 trip of Zimbabwe, Shubman Gill, who has only captained India in five Twenty20 Internationals, would be taking on the role of captain for the first time. The selection committee prioritises the child’s potential over experience.

Although Rishabh Pant was viewed as a logical successor prior to his injury setback, and Jasprit Bumrah had previously captained India in Rohit’s absence, Shubman Gill has been officially assigned the responsibilities. Notably, Pant has been selected to serve as the England tour’s vice captain. The Punjabi native discussed the value of leadership and the lessons learnt from previous captains after being named captain.

“In my opinion, leadership is the first thing you do on the ground. How can you support your skill set when the team is struggling or under pressure? How can the team’s atmosphere be improved, whether it’s through batting or fielding? I believe that every player participates in every Test match, One-Day, or Twenty20 match; therefore, how can you motivate your guys when the team is struggling? For me, that is incredibly crucial.

“Whether it’s in hitting or fielding, I believe that leadership is crucial. You may learn different things from all of the other great leaders, like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and MS Dhoni. It was distinctive that each of them led the team in a different way. They one had unique attributes, and I learnt something new from them,” he stated in a Star Sports video.

The right-handed batter’s form declined after a strong debut in Australia, as he only managed three fifties in the next 17 Test matches. Nonetheless, he has been viewed as a match-winner thanks to his ODI performances in late 2022 and 2023. Shubman Gill had a good run in the home series against England in early 2024, scoring two hundreds and two fifties, after a disappointing tour of South Africa in 2023–24. He then went on to play well against Bangladesh and New Zealand at home.

Notably, his appointment was the result of numerous causes. The selectors and former head coach Rahul Dravid were delighted by his composure, tactical acumen, and enthusiasm for Test cricket; this has also been the case with their successors. The young player has risen through the ranks despite having no experience as captain. He also gained leadership skills off the pitch while playing for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL under Ashish Nehra.