Mumbai, July 22 – Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has heaped praise on young batsman and current team leader Shubman Gill, drawing comparisons between Gill’s calm leadership style and that of Ajit Wadekar, Kapil Dev, and Rahul Dravid—three Indian captains who led India to historic Test series victories in England.
Gavaskar emphasized that what set Wadekar, Kapil, and Dravid apart was their composed and steady leadership on English soil, a quality he believes Gill embodies as well. He noted that India has won a Test series in England only thrice—in 1971 under Ajit Wadekar, in 1986 under Kapil Dev, and in 2007 under Rahul Dravid.
“Shubman reminded me of the composure and calmness that Wadekar, Kapil, and Dravid displayed during their famous victories in England. He showed similar traits in Birmingham, where India registered an impressive win,” Gavaskar said, referring to the second Test of the ongoing series.
Despite trailing 1-2 in the five-match Test series against England, Gavaskar praised the overall performance of the Indian team. In the opening Test at Leeds, India made headlines by scoring five centuries in a single match—yet ended up losing due to England’s strong comeback.
India bounced back in the second Test at Edgbaston, securing a massive 336-run victory. However, the third Test proved to be a close contest where a few critical errors cost India the match, despite another spirited performance.
Gavaskar’s endorsement of Shubman Gill as a poised leader with the potential to join the ranks of India’s legendary captains adds weight to Gill’s growing stature in the cricketing world.
