Shastri Backs Gill for Test Success, Predicts "Disappointment" if Potential Unfulfilled

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 made a bold prediction regarding the future of India's new Test captain, Shubman Gill. Shastri expressed confidence that Gill is destined for great achievements in the coming years.

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

Shastri emphasized the importance of adaptability for Gill: "If he can learn with exposure and adapt to conditions, I think that’s the one name I can see."

He also noted Gill's maturity: "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."

Shastri urged patience and consistency in backing Gill as captain. "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 with a remarkable century in Headingley. This achievement places him alongside Indian cricketing legends such as Sunil Gavaskar, Virat Kohli, Vijay Hazare, and Dilip Vengsarkar, all of whom have scored a hundred on their Test captaincy debut.

Gill is the 23rd player overall to score a century in their first innings as captain, and ranks as the fourth-youngest to achieve this feat, following Herbie Taylor, Alastair Cook, and Steven Smith.

India’s right-arm seamer Prasidh Krishna also commented on Gill's captaincy, highlighting the positive environment he has fostered within the team.

“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.”