Former India all-rounder and batting coach Sanjay Bangar has backed 25-year-old Shubman Gill to replace Rohit Sharma as skipper of the national team in the future. Bangar highlighted that Gill is well-prepared to take on the responsibility of leading the India national cricket team in the years to come.
Rohit Sharma is leading India in the 2025 Champions Trophy. However, he is 37 years old, which means India will soon need a new captain across all three formats. Jasprit Bumrah is reportedly the frontrunner to take over captaincy in Test cricket. Shubman Gill was recently appointed as vice-captain in the ODI format.
He’s the Guy Who Is Going to Shoulder the Responsibility – Sanjay Bangar
Sanjay Bangar said that Gill has delivered consistent performances in ODIs over the past two and a half years. Bangar said that Gill can exceptionally time the ball, describing him as phenomenal.
“Clearly, he’s the guy who is going to shoulder the responsibility of the Indian team going forward in years to come. His foundations are really, really strong and add to that the confidence of nearly two-and-a-half years of performing in one-day cricket. In one-day cricket, he’s been phenomenal,” Bangar said on JioHotstar.
“Now look, the straight drive, the on-drive are the shots wherein you cannot actually hit the ball really hard. But here, he was hitting the ball so hard that despite the mid-off and the mid-on fielder being on that 30-yard circle, the ball was going and hitting them. That’s the kind of timing he possesses,” he added.
Shubman Gill Has Emerged from the Shadows of That Banyan Tree – Navjot Singh Sidhu
Former India batter Navjot Singh Sidhu said that Shubman Gill emerged from the shadows of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Sidhu said that Gill’s explosive performance against Pakistan in Dubai put the opposition on the back foot.
“Look, see, nothing grows under a banyan tree, and the banyan tree of Indian cricket is basically Rohit Sharma and, with him, Virat Kohli,” Navjot Singh Sidhu said on JioHotstar.
“But when you look at Shubman Gill, those two straight drives, even the blistering cover drive, this is like a blitzkrieg where the opposition is taken aback, you know, it’s awe-inspiring. This man has emerged from the shadows of that banyan tree and has come of age,” he added.
Shubman Gill Has Been in Outstanding Form in ODIs
Shubman Gill has been in outstanding form in ODIs. He has scored 147 runs in the Champions Trophy so far, including a century against Bangladesh. Gill has amassed 406 runs in his last five innings, with two centuries and two fifties. He surpassed Babar Azam to claim the No. 1 spot in the ICC Men’s ODI rankings.
Gill played a key role in India’s win over Bangladesh in their opening Champions Trophy match. He remained unbeaten on 101 off 129 balls as India chased down 229 with ease. The right-handed batter scored 46 runs off 52 balls, helping India secure a six-wicket win over Pakistan to seal a semi-final spot.
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