The new era of Indian cricket has begun under Shubman Gill’s leadership. The 26-year-old batter now leads the Indian team in both Tests and ODIs, taking over after the sudden retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
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| Image Source: News18 |
Ahead of the tough five-Test tour of England earlier in 2025, the team management decided to hand over the captaincy to Gill — making him the youngest Indian Test captain of the 21st century.
Recently, India head coach Gautam Gambhir opened up about that moment and shared what he told Gill when the leadership change was made.
“I remember our first conversation very clearly,” Gambhir said. “I told him, ‘We have thrown you into a deep sea, and now you have two choices — either you drown or you become a world-class swimmer.’”
Gambhir praised Gill for handling the massive pressure that comes with leading the Indian team. He said the young captain showed maturity beyond his age during the England series.
“For me, those 750 runs don’t matter much,” Gambhir explained. “If Shubman hadn’t scored them on the England tour, he would have scored them later because of his quality. What truly mattered was how a 25-year-old player led a young team, handled the pressure, and faced a strong England side. That’s the real test of captaincy.”
Gill had an incredible tour of England, where he scored 754 runs in five Test matches — setting a record for the highest total ever by an Indian captain in one series. Under his leadership, India managed to draw the series 2-2 away from home.
Gill’s fine form continued in the ongoing Test series against West Indies. On Day 2 of the Delhi Test, he scored 125 runs, marking his first Test century as captain on home soil. Earlier in the innings, he was involved in a mix-up that led to Yashasvi Jaiswal’s run-out on 175, but Gill made up for it with a brilliant knock.
With his consistent performances and calm leadership, Shubman Gill seems ready to carry Indian cricket forward into a new chapter — just as Gambhir had hoped when he threw him into the “deep sea.”