Sourav Ganguly Questions Shubman Gill’s Captaincy Rise – Is the Hype Real?
Shubman Gill has made a dream start as India’s Test captain. In the first two matches of the England series, his performance has been very strong. But former India captain Sourav Ganguly feels this easy phase will not last forever. He said that the real test of leadership will come when pressure and expectations both increase in future matches.
Ganguly gave this message on his birthday
Ganguly was celebrating his 53rd birthday at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. During a media interaction there, he praised Gill’s recent form. But he also called it a “honeymoon phase” and said that the weight of captaincy will start to show in the coming time. According to Ganguly, Gill is batting at his best right now, but he will need to prove himself again when situations get tough.
“Gill ki batting ab tak ki sabse achhi lagi, lekin captain ke roop me har match ke saath pressure badega,” Ganguly ne kaha.
Gill’s form: breaking records with the bat
In the ongoing Test series against England, Gill has already scored 585 runs in just two matches. His average so far is 146.25. He hit a double century of 269 runs in the first innings and followed it with another century of 161 in the Edgbaston Test. His performance helped India win the second Test by 336 runs. This win also balanced the series 1-1 after the loss at Headingley.
Records within reach
Gill is now only 18 runs away from breaking Rahul Dravid’s 2002 record of 602 runs in a Test series in England. He is also getting close to Don Bradman’s record of 810 runs, the most runs by a captain in a Test series. Gill needs 225 more runs in the remaining three matches to go past that record.
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Series is still open – Ganguly’s reminder
Ganguly reminded that the excitement is understandable, but the series is not over yet. It is only 1-1 now and the team will have to restart again at Lord’s. He said India did well to make a comeback in the second match, but the next match is very important.
“Lord’s me sab kuch zero se start hoga. Pehle jo hua uska koi farq nahi padega,” Ganguly ne bola.
Young players stepped up in the absence of seniors
This Indian Test team is playing without big names like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and R Ashwin. But young players have grabbed the chance well. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Akash Deep have both made useful contributions in the first two Tests.
Ganguly said,
“India me kabhi talent ki kami nahi hoti. Gavaskar, Kapil, Tendulkar, Dravid, Kohli aur ab Gill – har era me koi naya star aata hai jo team ko aage le jaata hai.”
Ganguly’s take on Lord’s Test selection
The third Test will be played at Lord’s. Ganguly shared his thoughts on team selection based on pitch conditions. If the pitch is dry, he feels Kuldeep Yadav should play. But if the surface has grass, then India’s fast bowlers will be more useful.
Pressure on Gill the captain, not just the batter
Gill’s individual performance has been excellent so far, but now the pressure of captaincy will also increase. The next three matches will test him in every way. As a young captain, he will need to show impact not only with the bat but also through his decisions. The Lord’s Test will be his first big test under real pressure.
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