Shubman Gill has the makings of a great leader, says Gary Kirsten

Gary Kirsten and Matthew Hayden praised Shubman Gill’s leadership ahead of the Test series in England. Kirsten called him smart and diligent, while Hayden noted his potential and cautioned against comparisons with Virat Kohli, India’s most successful Test captain.

Hyderabad: Former India coach Gary Kirsten said that Shubman Gill, who will be leading India in the five-match Test series on the ongoing tour of England, would be a great leader.

“Gill’s a smart cricketer—he’s got a good brain for the game and understands his game. He’s very talented and a nice human being, which I think is really important,” Kirsten said in a chat with JioHostar.

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“ When you come into these leadership positions, you’re going to be put under pressure, and your leadership will be tested. For any young leader, your ability to learn how to lead, improve, and grow is constantly under scrutiny,” Kirsten said.

“But I believe he has all the raw materials to become a really good leader. The one thing I really like about Shubman is that he walks the talk. He’s very organized, very diligent with his training and preparation, and that sets a great example for other players. I think he’s primed to take on the international stage by storm,” the former South African cricketer said.

For his part, another JioStar expert Matthew Hayden said that Shubman had huge shoes to fill.

“He’ll have to find his footing in Test match cricket. There’s a very small sample size when it comes to his experience here in England,” he said.

“But it takes time to build a legacy and become a legend. Virat Kohli, for instance, is India’s most successful Test captain in terms of win percentage, so it’s not fair to compare,” Hayden said.

“Shubman is a very good player, and he’s got all the attributes needed to succeed in English conditions. We’ve already had a glimpse of his leadership across other teams, and there’s no doubt he has the potential to grow into the role,” he said.