While it’s only been a couple of weeks in the IPL 2024, Shubman Gill has already made a strong case to be handed the reins of the Indian team once Rohit Sharma steps down (or is removed) as India’s captain in one or more formats.
The transition phase in the Indian men’s cricket team’s captaincy is nigh. Rohit Sharma will turn 37 years old this month. He is set to lead the side in the T20 World Cup 2024 in June, and could very well be the last ICC white-ball tournament that he captains India in.
While Hardik Pandya was the vice-captain during the World Cup 2023, and Jasprit Bumrah. KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant have been in leadership positions in the past, suddenly, Shubman Gill has got everyone’s attention.
Gill, who has a certain place in India’s Test and ODI XI right now, has been touted as a future India captain. However, while everyone thought that the “future” was distant with Hardik, Bumrah, and Pant in line, it could very well be sooner than expected.
The thing with Hardik and Bumrah is that both of them don’t play all matches due to injury and rest because of workload management. Rahul, too, has been through multiple injury layoffs in recent years, and doesn’t even get into India’s T20I squad. Pant is only returning from a long injury break, and hasn’t really done well as a captain of Delhi Capitals.
Shubman Gill has started brilliantly in the IPL 2024 while leading for the first time in the IPL.
Although Gujarat Titans have only two wins in four games, Gill has shown great attributes of a good leader and captain. His involvement with the bowlers, his smart and innovative field placements according to the bowling plans, his support for his players, and his energy have been top-notch, and his positivity has been infectious.
Hardik, on the other hand, has had a disastrous start as Mumbai Indians’ captain with MI losing their first three games. Moreover, it seems Hardik hasn’t yet managed to make peace in the dressing room where Rohit and Bumrah had rumoredly been upset with Hardik taking the captaincy.
What Shubman Gill and Gujarat’s success so far has also shown is that it wasn’t as much Hardik’s captaincy that brought Gujarat success in the last two seasons, but it was that the teams is a solid group of players and have a terrific coach in Ashish Nehra.
Even the Ashes winning captain Michael Vaughan is very impressed with Gill’s leadership on the field. Vaughan tweeted, “Have to say @ShubmanGill is going to be a very very good captain .. No doubt he will skipper #India one day .. #IPL2024”
There is a chance, though as much slin, that Gill could become India’s captain at the age of only 25.
Also Read: KL Rahul Will Not Be Picked For T20 World Cup After Poor Performances In IPL 2024
