Shastri Backs Gill for Test Stardom, Predicts 'Regal' Future

India's Shubman Gill, Shardul Thakur and Nitish Kumar Reddy during a nets session at Headingly, Leeds, England, Wednesday June 18, 2025. (Danny Lawson/PA via AP)

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has voiced his strong belief in the potential of India’s new Test captain, Shubman Gill. Shastri stated that he anticipates Gill achieving significant milestones in the coming years.

"I’ll be disappointed if Gill doesn’t go places. Languid, lazy elegance, and he’s got a regal element of being regal out there when he’s batting," Shastri told Wisden.

"If he can learn with exposure and adapt to conditions, I think that’s the one name I can see.

“He’s matured a lot. The way he handles the media, the way he talks at press conferences, at tosses—he’s matured a lot.

“Let him be there for three years. Don’t chop and change irrespective of what happens in the series. Stick with him for three years, and I think he will deliver for you,” he added.

Gill recently marked his captaincy debut for India with a remarkable century in Headingley. This achievement places him among an esteemed group of Indian cricketers, including Sunil Gavaskar, Virat Kohli, Vijay Hazare, and Dilip Vengsarkar, who have all scored a hundred on their Test captaincy debut.

Gill is recognized as the 23rd player overall to score a century in his debut innings as captain. Notably, he is also the fourth-youngest to achieve this feat, following Herbie Taylor, Alastair Cook, and Steven Smith.

India’s right-arm seamer Prasidh Krishna also commented positively on the newly appointed Test skipper, noting that the young middle-order batter has cultivated a "very good atmosphere" within the team's dressing room.

“I think he did a pretty good job. All of us saw how he rotated the bowlers, made sure everybody had enough breaks, brought in people at the right times, and saw opportunities to bring in the right kind of bowlers. All of that was great, and knowing him, he set a very good atmosphere around. He’s been speaking to all of us. We always go in with a plan, and the communication is happening there.”