Earlier in the year, Shubman Gill, the 26 year old, was appointed as the captain of the Indian Test team for the tour of England. Leading a team in transition with two of Indian cricket’s biggest names having retired, Gill was up for a mammoth task. Ahead of the tour, there was a consensus among fans that if the young Indian team were able to put up a fight against a full-strength English team, it would be a positive start for a new era in Indian cricket. But India exceeded expectations after levelling the series 2-2. If anything, India were in a position to even win the series if they had been able to clinch a victory in the first Test at the Headingley cricket ground.
Gill, the batter, too exceeded expectations. After his appointment as India’s 37th Test captain, many said that the batter was handed the reins of the team because he was the management’s favourite. While others raised concerns over Gill’s numbers in S.E.N.A countries. The right-hand batter shut the critics as his bat did all the talking, scoring 754 runs, including four centuries.
The skipper received praise for how he gained respect in the dressing room. He also gave players a secure environment to flourish and a long rope to those who have potential.
Gautam Gambhir, the head coach, lavished praise on Gill, “He’s already passed his toughest Test as captain in England. Five matches in two and half months, against a quality England side and an intimidating batting lineup and an inexperienced Indian team, what more could he have faced? No one has done him a favour by appointing him as the captain,” he said in a press conference after India won the two-match Test series against the West Indies at home.
“He deserves every bit of it. He ticks all the boxes. He is the first player on the field, he has been able to command respect and is the hardest worker in the room. What more can a coach ask for?” he added.
Perhaps, all this led to fans raising the bar for Gill’s captaincy. Ahead of India’s tour to Australia, Gill was handed the leadership for the ODI team. Fans took the decision to heart, finding it unacceptable for Gill to take over while Rohit Sharma was still a part of the squad.
India’s series started with a rain-affected match that was reduced to 26 overs in the second innings. In an innings that was closer to being a T20I than an ODI, Gill lost his wicket early as India eventually slipped to a defeat. While in the second match, Australia chased down the target of 264.
Multiple factors including reactionary captaincy and dropped catches led to Australia sealing the series. But it all led to a string of abuse and hate aimed at Gill for not being able to score in the two occasions.
The problem here is that it’s easy to forget that leadership is not mastered overnight, especially in cricket. While there’s a lot left to be desired from Gill the skipper, passing judgement in one and a half games of him being appointed the captain is shortsighted.
Every great Indian captain, from Sourav Ganguly to Rohit Sharma, needed time and failures to grow into the role. Gill may not have gotten a flying start to his ODI captaincy, but what he showed in England – calmness under pressure, trust in his players and the ability to lead by example – are all qualities that don’t vanish with a couple of defeats. Indian fans must allow its leaders to evolve without the constant noise of unrealistic expectations. A captain should be measured by his journey, not his starts.
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