With Rohit Sharma bowing out of Test cricket, India need a new red-ball captain—and the spotlight has swung to Shubman Gill. Gujarat Titans assistant coach Ashish Kapoor sees plenty of promise in the 25-year-old’s cricketing brain but urges everyone to give him time.
Gill’s leadership résumé is growing by the week. As captain of GT in IPL 2025, he just steered the defending champions into the playoffs, thrashing Delhi Capitals by 10 wickets. Gill’s unbeaten 93 and B. Sai Sudharsan’s blistering 108* chased down 198 with ease, underlining the calm, methodical approach that has impressed Kapoor since their Under-16 days.
“Shubman has always thought deeper than most kids his age,” Kapoor said after Sunday’s win. “That’s a core skill for any skipper—you’re not only planning your own innings, you’re plotting for ten other players.”
Too early for verdicts
India’s selectors will soon pick a captain for the five-Test tour of England starting 20 June. Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul remain in the mix, but Gill is viewed as the long-term project. Still, Kapoor warns against rushing to judgment.
Phil Salt Set to Open with Kohli? Hazlewood’s Return on the Cards – RCB’s Likely XI vs KKR
“Look at MS Dhoni,” he reminded reporters. “When he got the ODI captaincy in 2007 he’d barely led any side, yet he became one of the game’s greatest leaders. Shubman hasn’t even begun at Test level—you need to watch a player over time before deciding anything.”
Gill’s cool head in IPL crunch moments, coupled with Bumrah’s fitness worries and Rahul’s shorter shelf life, makes the Punjab batter a serious candidate. Whether he gets the job now or later, India appear convinced they’ve found a skipper in the making.
