Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has praised India’s new Test captain Shubman Gill for staying true to his personality in the public eye. Ashwin believes this is rare in modern cricket, where players are often trained in media handling.
Ashwin’s words come on the back of what has been a remarkable start to Gill’s captaincy stint in England. He started the series with a century at Headingley.
However, it was his 269 in the first innings at Edgbaston that announced his arrival as a leader. He followed that up with another 161 in the second innings, powering India to a famous 336-run win.
Ravichandran Ashwin Praises Shubman Gill for Not Being Media Trained
Ravichandran Ashwin praised Shubman Gill for staying calm and being himself in press conferences.
"Shubman has a natural flair. I was watching his press conference, and I immediately found that he is not putting on a show. He is talking like who he is. He is leading the team according to his natural self and skills," Ashwin said as quoted on his YouTube channel.
He added how tough it can be for captains during away series, especially in countries like England where the media can be very critical. He said Gill has handled that pressure well so far, not letting it affect his performance or mindset.
"In overseas tours, the media tries to target the captain because if you bring the captain down, it becomes easy to bring the team down. You can get them to fall like nine pins if you go after the captain."
Ashwin pointed out that many players are often given media training to manage how they speak in public. But in Gill’s case, he is speaking straight from the heart, without trying to say what others want to hear.
"Don't take it out of context, but a lot of players are coached about what to say and what to do. That doesn't seem to be the case with Shubman Gill. He looks like a man who is doing what he believes in," Ashwin opined.
Shubman Gill Set for His Biggest Test Yet at Lord’s
As the action moves to Lord's, it will be another big challenge for Gill, both as a captain and as a batter. The conditions at Lord’s are expected to favour the fast-bowlers and Gill’s batting will once again be tested.
This will be India’s first Test match at the historic ground since the iconic 2021 win under Virat Kohli’s leadership. Now, Gill has a chance to script his own chapter at Lord’s. If he continues to lead the way he has so far, it could be another memorable outing for him and Team India.
