India cricket: Will Shubman Gill’s captaincy survive the summer in England?

Will Shubman Gill make a good captain? An unfair question, really, isn’t it? At 25, with no international experience as a leader, what can we reasonably expect? He can’t conjure up miracles. Two IPL seasons at the helm of Gujarat Titans aren’t enough to prepare him for the litmus test of Test matches — especially in England.

Gill makes his captaincy debut on June 20. The English summer won’t be easy. India may even lose badly, but that doesn’t worry me. This will be a valuable learning curve for Gill and the young Indian team.

The challenges of Shubman Gill

The series will help Gill grasp the challenges and nuances of leadership. Cricket captaincy is a tricky business — perhaps more so than in any other sport. It’s not just about managing the players. Coaches can help with planning, but in the heat of the match, tactics must shift in real time. That’s when a captain’s instincts and experience truly matter.

“Captaincy is 90 per cent luck and 10 per cent skill. But don’t try it without that 10 per cent,” former Australian captain Richie Benaud once said. That 10 per cent of skill is what separates good captains from great ones. It’s what wins matches.

It takes sharp insight to set the right field, tweak a plan mid-over, or turn to the right bowler at just the right moment. Every decision demands thought. The ability to think on one’s feet and act decisively — that’s the hallmark of a great leader.

For some, captaincy is a burden, a millstone round their necks. It brings out the best in others: they lead from the front like Pat Cummins with the ball or Rohit Sharma with the bat. That’s a very individual thing.

The case of Sobers, Botham and Tendulkar

History is full of great players who stumbled as captains. Gary Sobers, the greatest all-rounder in cricket, has a forgettable leadership record. Ian Botham, another iconic all-rounder, also struggled. Even Sachin Tendulkar, one of the game’s legends, found captaincy challenging.

So, what chance does Gill have? It’s too early to tell. It’s also premature to draw conclusions from his Gujarat Titans tenure. But during his second season in charge, he seemed more assured in his decision-making. That’s progress. In that there’s promise too.

Let’s give him the space to grow. He’ll need calm heads around him, and while Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli may not be in the picture, he can rely on experienced teammates like Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja for support and guidance.

Yes, Gill will make mistakes — every captain does. Remember the infamous decision to bat first on a rain-affected pitch in the 2021 World Test Championship final against New Zealand in Southampton, or fielding two spinners in seaming conditions? Errors are inevitable, but they’re opportunities for learning.

The Indian captain’s young. He has time. Gill could grow into a very good captain.