Exuding maturity beyond his years, Shubman Gill emphasises his eagerness to absorb leadership lessons from the ODI team’s think-tank, and that makes him a…
India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal (left) and Shubman Gill during a training session at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur yesterday. Pics/PTI
Shubman Gill, India’s vice-captain in the 50-over format, understands that leadership in Indian cricket comes with high expectations. With slim chances of full-time skipper Rohit Sharma continuing until the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, Gill finds himself in a position to gradually groom himself for a long-term leadership role. As India prepares for the three-match series—widely seen as a crucial dress rehearsal for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy—the young opener is not only focused on delivering with the bat, but also on evolving as a leader.
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Speaking to the media ahead of the first India v England ODI here at Jamtha, Gill exuded maturity beyond his years, emphasising his eagerness to absorb leadership lessons from the team’s think-tank. “I take it as a challenge to lead my [own] way, firstly with my performance and then definitely in the field if Rohitbhai wants my opinion. It is my duty to let him know what my thoughts are,” he stated.
Having first been handed the vice-captaincy during India’s white-ball tour of Sri Lanka last year, Gill acknowledged the immense learning curve that comes with the responsibility. He expressed his desire to develop as a leader by actively engaging with the team’s leadership group. “Just being part of the think-tank—understanding how GG [Gautam Gambhir] bhai thinks, how Rohit bhai thinks, the plans for certain batsmen and bowlers and how to take on certain opposition—is a big learning curve for me,” he added.
In the press conference, he faced quite a few tough questions, and one of those was related to his team’s dismal show in Australia. However, Gill handled those bouncers like a pro. Addressing concerns over India’s recent Test series defeat in Australia, Gill defended the team’s overall consistency and achievements. “One series does not define the form of the whole team,” he stated. “Definitely, we did not play as per expectations in the Australia series, but still, we played some good cricket. We were unfortunate not to have Bumrah on the last day [in Sydney], and if we had won the game, this talk wouldn’t have happened. We won there twice before, earlier won a World Cup [in 2024], reached the final of a World Cup [in 2023], so we should keep all those things in mind.”
Longer rope for top players
As a part of the Indian team’s leadership group, Gill also voiced in favour of giving a ‘longer rope’ to the players at the highest level to showcase their potential instead of doing a lot of chopping and changing. “If we keep chopping and changing the players, it will affect their confidence, and we will never be able to build a team. It will create an insecure environment. We must give a longer rope to the players who are currently in the team,” he asserted.
Gill also played down any notions of an unhealthy rivalry within the squad, particularly with emerging opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. “Abhishek [Sharma] is a childhood friend of mine. Jaiswal is also a friend. There is no toxic competition between us,” he remarked.
