Test skipper Shubman Gill makes honest admission ahead of crucial England series; insists he wants to build secure team environment so that every player can perform as per his abilities
Shubman Gill. Pic/Getty Images
Someone who never dreamt of leading the national cricket team, India’s new Test skipper Shubman Gill has set himself the goal of creating a team culture where every player is “secure and happy.”
A transitional India will search for their maiden Test series victory in England since 2007, and the first match is scheduled to take place at Leeds on June 20. “It was like, not even in my dreams, I thought I wanted to be the captain of the Indian cricket team. So, apart from all the silverware and trophies aside, I really would like to build a team culture where everyone is very secure and happy,” Gill told Sky Sports.
Not an easy task
But Gill knew that the task was easier said than done. “I know it can be a very difficult environment, especially with all the competition and the number of matches that we play, different squads coming in. But if I’m able to do that, I think that would be my goal,” he added.
“So, keeping a secure environment and making the player feel secure in his abilities and his capabilities I feel is one of the most important things that a leader has to do.”
Learning from Rohit
Gill acknowledged that Rohit Sharma, who retired from Test cricket on May 7, had laid out a clear path for him. “It can seem like he is not aggressive, but Rohit is very aggressive in terms of his tactics.
He is someone who is very clear with his communication prior to the matches, during the series and even after the series, what he wants from the players.”
Gill said he wanted to follow the path of his predecessor Rohit, who had always put the team ahead of individuals. “The kind of environment Rohit bhai kept, even if Rohit bhai is swearing at you, you would not take it to your heart. That’s just kind of his personality. I think that’s a great trait
to have.
“He’s firm, but even if he’s being hard on you, you know that it’s not coming from his heart. It’s coming from a team perspective,” added Gill.
Gill also provided a gist of his conversation with head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar before taking up the leadership role. “They just want me to be able to express myself as a leader. I mean, that’s what they have told me, there are no expectations. They are not expecting me to, you know, to do something that I’m not capable of. But you definitely have some kind of expectations from yourself as a leader and as a player. So those are the expectations that I have from myself,” he added.
592
No. of runs scored by Shubman Gill in 10 Tests vs England @ 37.00
40.86
Shubman Gill’s Test average since January 2024. He has scored 899 runs in 13 games
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