Mumbai, June 6(HS): India's new Test captain Shubman Gill showcased complete clarity and confidence regarding his leadership approach during his first press conference on Thursday. The 25-year-old Gill is set to begin his captaincy against England in a five-match Test series, with the goal of developing a culture of trust and transparency within the team.
Speaking to the media in Mumbai, Gill said, “I do not have a specific captaincy style. The more you play, the more experience you gain, and your own style comes to the forefront. The most important thing for me is communication with the players, making them feel comfortable about their strengths and weaknesses. Only if players feel safe can they give their 100%.”
Praising Rohit Sharma's leadership style, Gill added, “Rohit bhai’s greatest quality was his clear communication style. He knew what he wanted from the players and conveyed it clearly. I would like to adopt the same.”
Recently, India faced defeats in Test series against New Zealand and Australia, which excluded the team from the World Test Championship final race. In this context, Gill has been entrusted with the captaincy amid significant challenges.In response, Gill stated, “There is pressure in every tour. We have a good combination—experience and talent. This is an opportunity to start afresh, and we are ready for it.”
Gill is the fifth-youngest Test captain for India and the youngest Test leader since Ravi Shastri captained a Test in 1988.Gill stated that the team's batting order has not been finalized yet. He said, We will have a camp for 10 days, and there will be an intra-squad match between June 13 and 16. After that, we will decide who will play in which order. Notably, B. Sai Sudharsan is part of the 18-member Indian team for the first time, while Karun Nair returns to the Test team after 8 years. Abhimanyu Easwaran has also been retained. The all-rounder options include Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, and Ravindra Jadeja.
Gautam Gambhir said, “Bowlers who take 20 wickets win matches.” The head coach stated, “Not only the pitch conditions, but the overhead conditions in England are also significant. To win a Test match, it is essential to take 20 wickets. Even if a batter scores 1000 runs, if 20 wickets are not taken, winning becomes difficult.”
Regarding England's aggressive Test style 'Bazball', Gill said, They play in a special manner. But this is an opportunity for us. If we remain proactive in our plans and execution, we can put them under pressure.
India remains the number 1 team in ODIs and T20s, but there is a phase of change in Tests. Gill has the chance to not only prove himself as a captain but also bring the team back into the race for the World Test Championship final. By the next final, Gill will be 27 years old, and this two-year period will be the real test of his captaincy.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
