There is a video circulating of Shubman Gill, the Gujarat Titans skipper, having a conflab with senior members of the franchise on the field, in the ongoing IPL. In summary, be it Ishant Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna or Mohammed Siraj, Gill seems to be constantly involved in taking decisions. An indicator that Gill has some of the required ingredients to become a fine leader of men.
Gill, who took over as the franchise’s reins last year, saw his team finish a lowly eighth on the points table. However, with a refurbished pace attack at his disposal, Gill has been successful in turning around GT’s fortunes, with the side currently sitting on top of the points table. It is true that sometimes the captain is as good as his team. But it is also true that Gill has matured as a captain and is now able to marshall his troops with a degree of confidence.
Captaincy is also about having the tactical acumen and strong conviction in your gut feel. There is an element of luck involved in it as well. As Richie Benaud once famously said, “Captaincy is 90 percent luck and 10 percent skill, but don’t try it without that 10 percent.” So, what about Gill’s captaincy smarts, then? To gauge this particular aspect of Gill’s leadership skills, let’s take a deep dive into the just concluded GT-RR game in Ahmedabad.
Sai Kishore, the left-arm spinner, is presently the third highest wicket-taker. So, it is natural to expect the spinner to bowl his quota of four overs. In reality, Kishore was introduced into the attack only in the 15th over of RR’s innings and ended up bowling a mere 2.2 overs. Now, isn’t it an example of some poor captaincy? The answer is a firm no.
Rashid Khan, the mainstay of the spin attack, seemed to be in good rhythm and it made sense to bowl his quota of overs. With GT also being in clear ascendancy, it also made sense to continue with Rashid, given that he has been struggling for form in this IPL. The idea was to boost his confidence. Somewhere it tells us that Gill has the conviction behind his decisions.
Gill’s captaincy ambitions go far beyond just franchise cricket. With Rohit Sharma coming to the fag end of his noteworthy career, there is a school of thought that it is right time to usher in Gill as the new skipper of the Indian Test set-up. After all, even during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Gill was constantly having conversations with some of the bowlers. It gives us a sneak peek into how the Indian think-tank is also trying to groom him for the captaincy job.
Also Read LSG vs GT – Top 3 Fantasy Picks and Fantasy XI for Today’s Game in IPL 2025
The point gains even more significance in the backdrop of Jasprit Bumrah being laid low by back problems. Yes, Bumrah showcased his leadership qualities in the Perth Test, leading India to a memorable win. Unfortunately, injuries could curtail his participation in some of the Tests.
Meanwhile, the one area of concern surrounding Gill’s credentials is his modest record in SENA Nations – South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia. The talented batter is averaging just over 25 in those countries in Test cricket.
It is always hazardous to predict the future. Hypothetically, if Rohit tours England and he isn’t able to contribute in the first couple of Tests, the pressure would be on the Indian management to make changes. Bumrah is the obvious choice. Just that the Indian coaching staff are bound to tread cautiously on Bumrah, and he could be rested for a few Tests too. And that is where the window of opportunity could open up for Gill to become India’s 37th Test skipper.
Follow Revsportz for more sports related news.
GT vs LSG: Can GT build on momentum or will LSG make most of home advantage? https://t.co/0O2K2GQhds
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) April 12, 2025