Shastri Predicts Gill Will Evolve as Captain, Draws Parallels to Kohli’s Early Leadership

Ravi Shastri, the former head coach of India, has offered his analysis of Shubman Gill’s captaincy during the current Test series against England. Shastri pointed out tactical choices that, according to him, impacted the team’s approach and the players’ self-assurance.

In his discussion with the British media, Shastri voiced his disagreement with Gill’s choice to hold back Washington Sundar from entering the game, despite Sundar’s previous performance of taking four wickets at Lord’s.

“He claimed four wickets in the previous match. Yet, he was brought on after 67, 69 overs. What message does that convey to the player? After taking four wickets, one would expect to be a leading bowler, participating within the initial 30 to 35 overs. Instead, he’s introduced after 69 overs, and subsequently secures the first two wickets,” Shastri stated.

The former coach suggested that this decision could negatively impact Sundar’s morale.

Shastri also mentioned tactical errors, such as not giving Mohammed Siraj the new ball before Kamboj’s debut and the late implementation of the bouncer strategy.

“Tactically, there were shortcomings. Siraj should have been given the new ball instead of Kamboj, who was making his Test debut. This eased the pressure on England. Additionally, the bouncer strategy was employed too late. It should have been utilized earlier to gain further breakthroughs. Thus, there were several tactical lapses,” he added.

Despite his critique, Shastri voiced his confidence in Gill’s potential to develop into a better captain over time, making comparisons to Virat Kohli’s initial phase as captain.

“I’ll use Virat’s early captaincy as an example. He was extremely aggressive, unlike Shubman. It’s important to consider the conditions and adjust the field settings accordingly. Team management needs to assist Shubman Gill, especially in the initial period. That’s the key,” Shastri concluded.