Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin praised the new Indian Test captain Shubman Gill. He described Gill as a calm and easy-going person. Ashwin especially praised his behavior with the media. Ever since former captain Rohit Sharma and star player Virat Kohli retired from Tests, the Test team had to find a new captain.
Shubman Gill was already considered a strong contender for captaincy, having previously captained Gujarat Titans in the IPL and successfully led the Indian team on the Zimbabwe tour.
Before the start of the England series, many had questioned Gill’s red-ball form on foreign soil. However, his brilliant performance in the first two Tests against England gave a befitting reply to the critics. Ashwin praised Gill’s press conference style.
Ashwin praised on his YouTube channel
Ashwin also praised Shubman for being natural in the press conference. He said on his YouTube channel- “Shubman has an amazing talent of playing. I was watching his press conference and immediately realized that he is not pretending. He is talking as he is. He is leading the team according to his understanding and skill.”
Ashwin also emphasized that on foreign tours, the media often targets the captain. By doing this, they try to put the whole team under pressure. He said, “On foreign tours, the media tries to target the captain because, if you put mental pressure on the captain, then it becomes easy to put the whole team under pressure. If you can drop the captain, then you can drop the rest 9 like a pin.”
“Many players are taught what to say”- Ashwin
Ashwin said that most players are trained on what to say and how to behave in front of the media, but this does not seem to be the case with Gill.
He further said, “Don’t take it the wrong way, but many players are taught what to say and how to behave in front of the media. But it does not seem so with Shubman Gill. He seems to be a person who is doing what he believes in.”
Captain Gill played an innings of 147 runs in the Headingley Test match. In the second Test which was held at Edgbaston, he scored 269 runs in the first innings and 161 in the second innings. He became the first Indian captain in Test history to score a double century and an innings of more than 150 runs in the same match. So far in the series, Gill has scored a total of 585 runs at an average of 146.25.
FAQ
What did Ravichandran Ashwin say about Shubman Gill’s captaincy?
Ashwin praised Shubman Gill’s leadership, saying the team is performing well under his captaincy.
What did Ashwin mean by “foreign media attacks the captains”?
Ashwin pointed out that some foreign media outlets often criticize Indian captains, regardless of how well the team is playing.
Why is Shubman Gill being criticized despite good performance?
According to Ashwin, the criticism isn’t based on team results but may be due to personal bias or unfair narratives from foreign commentators.
Is the Indian team actually doing well under Gill’s captaincy?
Yes, under Gill’s leadership, India has shown strong performances, especially in recent matches and ongoing series.
