Latest news with #SportsTak
Mint
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Mint
Sunil Gavaskar's advice to new Indian Test skipper Shubman Gill: ‘Behave in a way that other players respect you'
Shubman Gill will need to behave in a certain way to earn respect from his team members, opined legendary Sunil Gavaskar as the Indian cricket enters a new era following the Test retirements of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The 25-year-old Gill, who made his Test debut in 2020, was named India's new captain in red-ball cricket, starting with tour of England, that starts on June 20. One of the rising stars in Indian cricket, Gill deemed perfect for the Indian selectors to lead a team in transition. Reacting on Gill's appointment as the Test captain, Gavaskar, explained the difference between a captain and being a member of the team. 'There is always pressure on the player who gets elected as India's captain, as there is a big difference between being a member of the team and being the captain," Gavaskar told Sports Tak. For a captain, one should be a leader in the way he interacts with his players and shields his troops from all the adversities. Gavaskar stated, for Gill, his behaviour is most important than his performance. 'Because when you are a team member, you generally just interact with players close to you, but when you become the captain, you should behave in a way that the other players in the team respect you, and a captain's behavior is more important than his performance," he added. Meanwhile, Gill wants to lead India by example not just by performance but also by discipline and hard work. "To be able to get this opportunity is a great honor... it's a big responsibility," Gill said in a video by BCCI. "I'm looking forward to this exciting opportunity, and I think the upcoming series in England is going to be a very exciting one. I believe in leading by example — not just by performance, but, I think, off the field by discipline and hard work." "As a captain, a leader should be able to know when to step in, but also when to give space to the players. Because everyone has had a different life and grown up differently, everyone has a different personality. A good leader should always be able to know what makes his players perform their best," added the right hander.
NDTV
26-05-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
Shubman Gill Sent Blunt Warning By Sunil Gavaskar Over Test Captaincy: "Behave In A Way..."
Legendary Indian cricket team batter Sunil Gavaskar weighed in on Shubman Gill 's appointment as the new Test captain. Gill will leading the national side during the five-match Test series against England with Rishabh Pant as his deputy. Gavaskar said that Gill will need to command the players' respect and handle the pressure that comes with the appointment. Following Rohit's retirement, Gill was chosen as his successor over the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul. Gavaskar added that captaincy changes the situation for a number of players and Gill will need to behave in a way which stamps his authority. 'There is always pressure on the player who gets elected as India's captain as there is a big difference between being a member of the team and being the captain," Gavaskar said as quoted by Sports Tak. 'Because when you are a team member, you generally just interact with players close to you, but when you become the captain, you should behave in a way that the other players in the team respect you and a captain's behaviour is more important than his performance," he added. As Shubman Gill takes over the reins of India's Test team ahead of the highly anticipated series against England, former cricketer Yograj Singh has praised the people behind the young captain's journey, his father and India great Yuvraj Singh. While speaking to ANI, Yograj Singh emphasized the impact of strong mentorship and family support in shaping Gill's career. "The credit for Shubman Gill's performance goes to his father and Yuvraj Singh," he said. "If Shubman Gill has become the captain today and will stay for a long time, Yuvraj Singh's guidance will play and has played an essential role in that," he added. Yograj, himself a former India international and father of Yuvraj Singh, highlighted how Yuvraj's cricketing intelligence has helped Gill grow both as a player and a leader. "Someone like Yuvraj Singh, the greatest cricketing brain in the world, taking Gill under his wing is a big thing," he stated.
NDTV
13-05-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
"Senior Players Being Removed": Virat Kohli's Coach Paints Intriguing Theory Behind Test Exit
Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket unexpectedly. His decision comes after India captain Rohit Sharma also retired recently. BCCI reportedly did not urge Kohli to reconsider his retirement choice. Virat Kohli 's retirement from Test cricket shocked the Indian cricket fraternity as many expected him to feature in the upcoming five-match Test tour of England. Kohli made the announcement days after India captain Rohit Sharma also decided to put an end to his Test career, following a series of poor returns with the bat. Recent reports claimed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) didn't ask Kohli to reconsider his decision of retirement, and was instead forced to leave the Test set up. However, Kohli's childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma said his illustrious ward has set an example by quitting Test cricket when senior players are being offloaded. "This retirement will be remembered for a very long time because when the whole country wants you to play and you are taking retirement. Kohli also set an example because you don't see these retirements often in Indian Cricket; it's often seen that senior players are being removed," Rajkumar told Sports Tak. "But Virat has an example that this is the time or for whatever reason, he has thought. I appreciate his decision and feel proud of his contribution to Indian cricket. The passion he has for the country is unparalleled," he added. The 36-year-old's red-ball career transformed India's approach to Test cricket. In 123 matches, he scored 9,230 runs at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries and 31 fifties. He holds the record of being India's most successful Test captain, leading the team to 40 victories out of 68 matches. From his debut in 2011 to becoming one of India's most successful captains, Kohli's 30 Test centuries make him the fourth-most successful Indian batter, behind Sachin Tendulkar (51 hundreds), Rahul Dravid (36), and Sunil Gavaskar (34). Kohli also made seven Test double hundreds, the most ever by an Indian. He also has the most Test hundreds by an Indian captain, with Gavaskar (11 centuries) way behind his 20 tons. Listen to the latest songs, only on
India Today
13-05-2025
- Sport
- India Today
Virat Kohli has set an example, often senior players are removed: Childhood coach
Star India batter Virat Kohli's childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma has said that the India star has set an example with his Test retirement, as senior players are often removed from the team. Kohli announced his retirement from the longest format ahead of the upcoming tour of England, with reports of him calling time on his Test career doing the childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma has also given his reaction on the retirement, saying that Kohli's retirement will be remembered for a long time as he's leaving the game at a time when the entire country wants him to play. Furthermore, he also mentioned that his decision is exemplary, as often senior players are shown the door from the retirement will be remembered for a very long time because when the whole country wants you to play and you are taking retirement. Kohli also set an example because you don't see these retirements often in Indian Cricket; it's often seen that senior players are being removed,' Rajkumar Sharma told India Today's sister channel SportsTak. 'But Virat has an example that this is the time, or for whatever reason, he has thought. I appreciate his decision and feel proud of his contribution to Indian cricket. The passion he has for the country is unparalleled,' he retires after having played 123 Tests and scoring 9230 runs in his career at an average of 46.85 with 30 centuries and 31 fifties to his name. He made his debut in the longest format way back in 2011 against the West Indies and scored his maiden Test hundred in 2012 against Australia in is also India's most successful Test captain as he led the team in 68 Test matches, won 40, lost 17 and 11 ended in a draw. Under his leadership, India registered their maiden series win in Australia 2018-19 and many other memorable overseas victories, with the most famous one being at Lord's 2021 vs England. Under his captaincy, India lost just two Test matches at home in seven years and maintained an unbeaten record in series.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
'When you start asking these questions…': Sunil Gavaskar hints at why Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket
Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket after a long stint of 13 years on Monday, May 13, 2025. The decision came after remarkable innings and game-changing contributions. However, he leaves some recognitions on the table, finishing 670 runs shy of the coveted 10,000-run milestone in Test cricket. But it seems Sunil Gavaskar is not surprised by his retirement. As King Kohli would have been the fourth Indian batsman to join the elite group that was initiated by Sunil Gavaskar. Meanwhile, the Indian legend also commented on Kohli's retirement and tried to clear the picture as to why Virat Kohli might have made the decision. Most Test Centuries by Indians in SENA:17 – Sachin Tendulkar (114 innings)12 – Virat Kohli (93 innings)10 – Rahul Dravid (89 innings)8 – Sunil Gavaskar (57 innings)6 – M Azharuddin (48 innings)5 – Sourav Ganguly (59 innings)5 – VVS Laxman (75 innings)5 – Cheteshwar… Sunil Gavaskar's say on Virat Kohli's retirement According to Sports Tak, Gavaskar said that there were questions asked of a lot of players after the Australia tour, that not just 1-2 players but almost everyone was involved in bowling or batting. He went on to say that after winning the first Test, people thought that India would win in Australia for the third consecutive time, but that did not happen; hence, questions were asked. Gavaskar also explained how athletes tend to enter a frame of mind when they ask themselves some questions in difficult situations, with a small element of self-doubt. "And sometimes you ask yourselves those questions: Do I still have that ability? Am I finding satisfaction in this? When you start asking these questions, you start telling yourself that if I remove myself, it will be better. To quash those thoughts is difficult," he added. Gavaskar wanted Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to play Well, Gavaskar didn't stop there; he also mentioned that Kohli's retirement came just after Rohit Sharma's retirement news, which shows that it is the end of a very successful era of Test cricket in India. He said all of us in Indian cricket wanted them to continue, but if you have to make a decision, they are the only ones who had to make a decision, and they are the only ones who can do it. "Maybe they decided that if this were a 3-match series, it would have been a different story. But maybe this being 5 Test matches across 6 weeks, with no break, maybe that's why they did it," he said. When it comes to stamina and willingness, both Rohit, who is now 38 years old, and Kolhi will be celebrating his 37th birthday next year, their stamina and willingness to be embedded in an extended tour may have played a role.
