"Just 24 Or 25...": Ex-India Star's Clear Verdict On Shubman Gill Becoming Test Captain
Former India wicketkeeper-batter Robin Uthappa has praised the selection committee for appointing a young captain in Shubman Gill for the upcoming Test series against England. Gill replaces the now-retired Rohit Sharma at the helm. Virat Kohli too is no longer part of the Test setup following his retirement from the format last month. Uthappa highlighted how Gill, 25, could end up leading the Indian team for the next decade or so if he manages to do well in England.
"You have got to give tops to that selection committee because they have gone with foresight. Shubman is just 24 or 25 right now. If he gets this right, then you can see him leading the Indian Test side for the next 10 years, the next decade, and that leaves Indian cricket in great hands because he is a high-quality bat," Uthappa said on Star Sports.
Uthappa praised Gill for his leadership during the recently-concluded IPL season, where he led Gujarat Titans to the playoffs after a disappointing first campaign as captain last year.
"We have seen his captaincy evolve from last year to this year just in the IPL, just the way he led the Gujarat Titans, the intensity with which he functioned, the decisions he made on the field, and the way he stood up for his teammates with the umpires or anything that happened on the field," he added.
Uthappa pointed a bright future for Gill as captain in international cricket.
"He is going to be a great leader. He is a smart cricketer. He has got a good brain for the game. He understands his game deeply. He is very talented, and he is a nice human being. He has all the raw materials to become a really good leader," Uthappa explained.
"The one thing I like about Shubman is that he will walk his talk as well. He is very organized and diligent around his training and his preparation, which will be a great example to other players. I think he is primed to take on the international scene by storm," he further pointed out.
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