The year 2025 has been a memorable one for Shubman Gill, who was handed India’s Test captaincy after Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the longest format in May.
In his maiden assignment as Test skipper, Gill led the team from the front in England, amassing 754 runs with the help of four centuries to help India pull off a 2-2 draw in the five-match series.
Following his heroics in England, Gill has been awarded the ODI captaincy, with the 2027 World Cup firmly in sight. He is also serving as Suryakumar Yadav’s deputy in T20Is, and all indications point in one direction that the Punjab lad is set to become India’s all-format captain in the future.
Speaking on the ICC Review, Australian legend Ricky Ponting has shared his thoughts on Shubman Gill’s leadership skills.
"I actually loved what he did with that team in the UK against a really good English side. There were certain moments where he was probably a little bit out of character. He did what he had to do to put his stamp on the team and really stand up for them. Little things that he did—like not coming off the ground in Manchester—I just think he made a strong impression. He asserted his authority on the team really quickly. And he led by example with the bat," Ponting said.
"When there was a critical moment, when he had to draw a line in the sand, he did that. That has not always been his way—he's normally pretty calm and has a cool demeanor on the field. But that real fighting, sort of bulldog came out when his team needed him the most. That's what I want to see from any player representing the country," he added.
Shubman Gill’s ODI captaincy tenure began with a heavy seven-wicket defeat against Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday (October 19).
In a rain-marred fixture that was reduced to 26 overs per side, the Men in Blue recovered from 45/4 to post 136/9 on the board. However, the score was never going to challenge the world champions, especially after their target was revised to 131 using the DLS method.
India and Australia will now square off in the second ODI of the three-match series at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday (October 23). It will be a must win game for the tourists to stay alive in the series.
