Shubman Gill has made an impressive start to his Test captaincy in the ongoing tour of England. In just two Tests, Gill has already scored 585 runs at a stunning average of 146.25, including three centuries—one of which was a record-breaking double ton in the Edgbaston Test that powered India to a historic win.
However, former India captain Sourav Ganguly believes that the real challenges for Gill as a leader are just beginning. Speaking to reporters during his birthday celebrations at Eden Gardens, Ganguly issued a note of caution for the young captain ahead of the crucial Lord’s Test.
“This is the best I’ve seen him bat and I’m not surprised. He has just become captain, it’s a honeymoon period. But there would be more pressure with time. The pressure will build in the next three Tests,” he said.
Gill broke multiple records in the second Test, registering career-best scores of 269 and 161 in Birmingham. His current series tally of 585 runs places him just 18 runs short of breaking Rahul Dravid’s 602-run record from the 2002 tour of England. He is also 225 runs away from surpassing Don Bradman’s 88-year-old record of 810 runs in the 1936–37 Ashes series—still the highest by a captain in a single Test series.
Ganguly on the New Generation of Indian Talent
India’s 336-run win at Edgbaston levelled the series at 1-1 and marked a strong comeback. Ganguly took the moment to reflect on the rich talent pool in Indian cricket and praised the new generation for stepping up.
“There is so much talent in Indian cricket. In every generation you will find players. After the great Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Tendulkar, Dravid, Kumble came and then Kohli, now Gill, Jaiswal, Akash Deep, Mukesh, Siraj… just see the abundance of talent. In every generation, whenever there’s a void, they will come and fill it. I’ve always said that,” Ganguly remarked.
With three matches still to go, the series remains wide open. Ganguly reminded fans and players alike that each match presents a fresh start, especially with the next Test to be played at the iconic Lord’s.
“It’s just one-all. There’s still a lot to play for with three matches to go. India played well, and have been playing well. But again, you have to start from scratch in the next match (at Lord’s),” he concluded.
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