Published on: Oct 12, 2025 09:05 am IST
India head coach Gautam Gambhir has revealed his unfiltered first conversation with Shubman Gill after the young batter replaced Rohit Sharma as India’s Test captain earlier this year. Gill, just 25, took over the leadership role in May following Rohit’s sudden retirement from the format — a move that marked a new era for Indian cricket.
Speaking to the broadcasters after Day 2 of the ongoing Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, Gambhir recalled the moment he offered Gill a piece of hard-hitting advice before India’s crucial tour of England.
“I told him one thing very clearly: ‘We have thrown you into a deep sea, and there are only two paths from here. Either you will drown or you will become a world-class swimmer,’” Gambhir revealed.
The head coach’s message was aimed at preparing Gill for the pressure and expectations that come with leading the Indian Test side. And the young skipper didn’t disappoint.
Gill delivered a stellar performance in the England series, scoring a record 754 runs — the most by any Indian Test captain in a single series — and guiding India to a hard-fought 2-2 draw.
Gambhir lauded Gill’s leadership, saying the numbers were secondary to his composure and maturity under pressure.
“For me, those 750 runs don’t matter. Even if Shubman hadn’t scored them in England, he would have done it elsewhere because of his quality. What mattered was how a 25-year-old handled his captaincy, the team, and the pressure against a quality England side. There is no tougher test of leadership than that,” he added.
With performances like these, Gill has proven that he not only belongs at the top level but also has the temperament to lead Indian cricket into a new generation — exactly as Gambhir envisioned.
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