India is about to embark on a new chapter in their cricket history, because Captain SHUBMAN GILL officially takes over the test team from June 20 for a test series of five matches against England. The 25 -year -old man was entrusted with leadership duties after retirement Captain Rohit Sharma.
Gill became the fifth Youngon of Indian Captain of the Test and will face the Hercules’ task to lead the team in England. How the Prince of the Indian cricket is preparing for the debut of the test captain, He can draw inspiration from the legendary South Africa captain Graeme Smith, who took the lead in the water during the test times for his country.
Smith was crowned by the South African captain after their debacle of the ODI World Cup from 2003 and took over the lead of Mantle from Shaun Pollock. The 22 -year -old man became the youngest captain of his country and also faced a similar challenge to England travel only for his second series.
Smith faced the daunting task of leading his team in a foreign country, where the local media are known to go on tour, and led his team from the front and recorded a magnificent double hundred on the first test in Birmingham. He watched it with another double ton in the second game in Lord’s, but this time in the winning thing, which also earned a player of the match.
Can Gill imitate Smith’s heroism of batting?
Throughout the series, Smith rose on this occasion whenever his team needed him and was helpful to overturn the game in his favor with his bat and tactical brilliance on the pitch. As a result, South Africa managed to draw a series of 2-2 and Smith was convicted by a player of the series for scoring 714 runs from nine shifts.
Therefore, Smith can learn a lot when he sets out on his journey as a test captain. When the protease legend was made by a captain, he met with extensive censorship because critics felt that he was “too young” and insufficiently prepared for this role. Similarly, Gill’s appointment also encountered similar criticism, especially because of his poor returns outside Asia.
In addition to his debut series in Australia during Border-Gavaska TROPHY 2020-21, Gill could not meet the expectations of fans and scientists Because since then he has not had a single score of Plus in overseas conditions.
In 13 test matches (24 shifts) who was born a cricket on a pandjab, he played outside Asia, accumulated only 559 runs on average 25.40 with the two fifties (both in 2021). As a result, its overall test numbers were also severely affected because it has 1893 runs in its name from 32 matches (59 shifts) on average 35.05 with five hundred and seven fifty.
Hercules’ Task to drive seniors
In addition to his toss, Gill also faces a challenge to drive a team full of several older players. Likewise, Smith had to drive veterans like Gary Kirsten, Jacques Kallis, Herschelle Gibbs, Shaun Pollock. The test, however, passed with flying colors, so the team gel was like a unit and takes the wildest opposition.
Similarly, with as Jasprit Bumrah and Kl Rahul in the team – both of whom previously India captains – this will not be an easy task for Gill for his units. But he will have to find the middle ground between authority and friendship to lead the team forward while maintaining friendly relations with everyone.
The defining chapter begins
The Prince of the Indian cricket is ready to bring the team to the dawn of the new era, but will face several sets of challenges on his way, which will prove to be a real test of its character. He will have to take a letter from Smith’s book to succeed in the most difficult phase of his career.
At the end of his career, Smith managed to better glue his name in historical books as the most successful captain (in terms of wins) in the test cricket when he led South Africa to 53 victories. Although there is no guarantee that Gill will also complete his career with such amazing numbers, the young man has a fire in his stomach to take the Indian cricket to new heights.
When Gill comes out for throwing for the first test against England in Headingley, His every movement will be explored. The 25 -year -old has a lot of horse on his shoulders and must be ready for the storm that lies in front of him.
Published:
Rishabh beniwal
Published on:
June 19, 2025
