Follow UsIt was only two Tests ago that Shubman Gill was left out of Team India’s starting XI for the all-important Boxing Day encounter against Australia, but come June 20 (Friday), the youngster will be leading the side, having taken over the reins in red-ball cricket from Rohit Sharma.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri, who handed Gill his maiden Test cap five years ago, has valuable words of advice for the new team India skipper, and that’s simply to 'bide time and take things slow.'
“I think, take your time,” Shastri said on the ICC Review, offering words of advice to the 25-year-old Gill.
“It’s not going to be easy. He's been asked to do a tough job, that is to captain India on a tour of England.”
Since this is the start of a new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, expectations are high despite India being in a transitional period of sorts. But no matter the outcome, Shastri believes that Gill will emerge out of the series a better leader, since it will prove to be a valuable learning experience.
“It's never easy, but I think he will learn from this exposure,” Shastri said.
“What I saw of him in the IPL with the Gujarat Titans, he seemed very composed and calm. He's got a good temperament.
“He's matured as an individual, he's got some young players around with him, and I think it's a learning curve as far as Shubman Gill goes.”