Shubman Gill was in the hot seat for the first time, alongside his coach Gautam Gambhir, as India prepared to depart for England for a 5-match Test series.
Gill was appointed as India’s new Test captain following Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the format. Rishabh Pant will serve as his deputy for the tour. As per tradition, both Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill attended a press conference ahead of their departure, which featured several interesting responses from both the captain and coach.
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Shubman Gill on Leading the Indian Team
Shubman Gill shared his pride at being handed the Test captaincy, calling it a privilege and an opportunity to improve and contribute more. He emphasized the importance of communication as a leader and said he’s focused on developing his captaincy style over time.
“I was overwhelmed when I was given the captaincy. I don’t have a particular style in mind. You play and you keep developing these things. I like to communicate with the players. I would try to get them comfortable with their strengths and weaknesses. The players should feel secure; only then will they perform well.”
Also Read: Ricky Ponting sheds light on captaincy challenge for Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's Retirement
Gill was immediately asked a pressing question—how the team plans to fill the massive void left by the retirement of Test stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Gill responded optimistically, acknowledging the pressure but expressing confidence in the team’s preparation.
“The pressure comes with every tour. The two big players have served us for so long, it is not easy to fill that space. But that’s not any added burden. We’re all used to that by now.”
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Also Read: England Name Test Squad for First India Test; Jamie Overton, Jacob Bethell Returns
Shubman Gill on His Record in England
Gill was also asked about his Test record in England, where he currently averages just 14.66 from three matches. The new skipper was unfazed by the numbers and made it clear that stats don’t define his mindset.
"I definitely want to lead by example. But having said that, averages and numbers are not something I go by."
India squad for England series
Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (wk/vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.
