I will protect Shubman Gill, unfair things have been said about him: Gautam Gambhir

Gambhir recalled his first conversation with Gill after he was appointed Test captain ahead of India’s tour of England earlier this year, saying the youngster had come through one of his toughest tests with flying colours.

Speaking to Star Sports during the second Test between India and the West Indies in New Delhi, Gambhir said Gill had faced unfair criticism after being appointed Test captain but had silenced his critics, showing incredible composure during the intensely fought five-Test series in England, which India drew 2-2.

Gill has now been elevated to One-Day International captaincy, replacing Rohit Sharma. He will begin his stint as ODI captain in a three-match series in Australia this October, as India prepares him to lead the team at the 2027 ODI World Cup in Africa.

Gill took over the Test team during a turbulent phase, months after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket midway through the IPL. India were under immense pressure heading to England, following series defeats to Australia away and a 0-3 whitewash against New Zealand at home.

“I do remember. I remember the entire conversation,” Gambhir said. “Picking a 25-year-old to captain a Test side, I told him one thing very clearly: ‘We have thrown you in a deep sea. From here, there are only two paths – you may drown or you’ll become a world-class swimmer.’ For me, the 750 runs in England don’t matter as much as the way a 25-year-old, in his first Test series as captain, handled himself, the team, and the pressure.”

Gill continued his golden run in Tests,scoring his fifth hundred as captain on Day 2of the second Test in New Delhi, emulating Virat Kohli’s record for most hundreds by an Indian Test captain in a calendar year.

Questions had been raised about Gill’s appointment as Test captain, as the youngster had struggled for consistency in the longest format and had found it difficult to cement his spot at No. 3, particularly in overseas conditions.

GAMBHIR A FAN OF GILL’S COMPOSURE

Gambhir said he will back Shubman to the hilt (AP Photo)However, in England, he turned things around, scoring four hundreds, including a double century, showing he had adapted to captaincy like a fish to water. Batting at No. 4 following Kohli’s retirement, Gill ended the five-Test series in England with 754 runs.

Gambhir reflected on his conversation with Gill after India levelled the series with a win in the Oval Test.

“I don’t think he will face a tougher test in his career. Regardless of whether he captains for 10 years, 15 years, or two years, that was a challenging two-month period. England had an intimidating batting unit, and our side was inexperienced, but he handled the pressure superbly. That was a massive test. I remember after the Oval Test, I told him, ‘You have passed your most difficult test. The transition is over. From here, things will become easier.'”

“I hope it does become easier for him, because he deserves it. He has faced a lot of criticism; people have said many things, and some of it has been unfair. Sometimes you pick a player based on potential. You can’t expect a 24-year-old to always average 50 or score runs consistently across the world – that happens over time. Given his potential, I wasn’t surprised he scored 750 runs in England.

“But more than that, I was impressed with the way he led the team. During the tour, I was under pressure, the support staff was under pressure, but more than anyone, he was under pressure. In those 25 days, there wasn’t a single moment he showed frustration or stress. He led the team with a smile through 25 days of intense cricket. He deserves the success, and everyone in that dressing room deserves it too,” Gambhir added.

Gill has scored 966 runs in Tests this calendar year, leading India’s run-scoring charts. After securing a draw in England, India are now eyeing their first series sweep under Gill’s captaincy. They won the series opener against the West Indies by an innings and 140 runs in Ahmedabad and positioned themselves for a big win in the second Test in Delhi, declaring their first innings at 518 for 5.