Shubman Gill’s debut series as skipper against England ended in a well-balanced 2-2 result, and the young batter established himself as a capable leader — potentially foreshadowing his future as an all-format Indian captain.
In a recent development, Gill earned a much-anticipated return to the Indian T20 squad not just as a player, but as the Vice-Captain for the upcoming Continental Cup, replacing Axar Patel in the leadership group.
This move by the BCCI and the selectors has faced backlash, particularly for sidelining Axar Patel, who has been performing consistently in the format.. However, it’s understood that the decision could be part of a larger strategy to promote Gill as the future face of Indian cricket — a “poster boy” move that may also serve commercial interests.
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Irfan Pathan Backs Gill to Thrive in Aggressive Vice-Captain Role
Meanwhile, former all-rounder Irfan Pathan has thrown his support behind Gill, backing him to prove a point in his new leadership role.
“What we have seen this season — the way he played, the amount of runs he scored in the last few IPL seasons — now the Indian team is playing at a higher strike rate,” Pathan said, as quoted by PTI.
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Pathan believes Gill will have the freedom to express himself, even as the team continues to push an aggressive brand of cricket.
“They want to just be very aggressive. I don’t think there will be an issue for Gill to start playing an aggressive role and do what the team demands of him. More than anyone else in this group, Gill will go there and try to prove a point in terms of playing aggressive cricket. He has the ability, and he has a lot of range,” he added.
Pathan Urges Suryakumar to Lead from the Front and Shape Future Leaders
Pathan also highlighted the growing leadership role of Suryakumar Yadav, calling on him to continue influencing and developing the younger players on the field.
“His (Suryakumar’s) responsibility is not only to perform and look after the team, but also to grow leadership within the squad — and he has started doing that. People might think it puts pressure on him, but what he’s doing is actually a huge positive for Indian cricket in the long term. It’s shaping Suryakumar into a proper leader who is respected, especially within the cricketing community,” Pathan concluded.
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