How Does New Captain Gill Compare To India Batting Greats?

Shubman Gill is not short connected confidence.

Nicknamed 'Prince' by India cricket supporters, he is regarded arsenic nan adjacent large point to travel nan 'Little Master' Sachin Tendulkar and 'King' Virat Kohli.

India's prince is now a ruler, though, pinch nan fresh-faced batter taking complete nan Test captaincy reins from Rohit Sharma for this summer's circuit of England.

The truth Gill has leaned into nan 'Prince' moniker by having it inscribed connected his bat - to nan annoyance of immoderate fans - underlines nan unwavering belief successful his talents.

But is Gill arsenic bully arsenic those who came earlier him? Is he a smart prime arsenic captain? And really tin England get nan amended of him this summer?

Let's commencement pinch nan astir awesome of each Gill stats: he has nan second-best one-day world batting mean of each clip (59), sandwiched betwixt nan Netherlands' Ryan 10 Doeschate (67), who is connected nan India coaching unit for this tour, and Kohli (58) himself.

Maybe it's unfair to tie comparisons successful Test cricket conscionable yet, but there's nary denying 25-year-old Gill is pursuing successful a rich | lineage of Indian cricket batting greats.

And this is wherever he doesn't rather unrecorded up to his lofty billing. His Test batting mean of 35 lags down Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rohit Sharma and Kohli astatine nan aforesaid shape of their career.

In fact, it's importantly down Dravid and Tendulkar, who were some averaging nan wide accepted world-class people of 50 by their 32nd Test.

But while Tendulkar - the astir prolific world batter of each clip -, external was conscionable 16 erstwhile he made his Test debut, Gill was younger than some Kohli and Dravid erstwhile fixed his chance successful nan Boxing Day Test astatine nan MCG successful 2020.

The signs were bully for Gill erstwhile he averaged almost 52 successful 3 Tests successful Australia arsenic India lifted nan Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Dips successful shape and an wounded successful England successful nan summertime of 2021 followed, but Gill's trajectory was heading only 1 way.

His first Test period came successful Bangladesh successful 2022, earlier a career-best 128 against Australia successful Ahmedabad successful 2023 preceded 2 hundreds of years against England connected their circuit of India successful early 2024.

"There was a shape wherever I sewage 40s aliases 50s," said Gill, speaking successful 2023. "So I felt that I was being overly protect aft getting set. That isn't my game. When I get set, I drawback my rhythm.

"I'd alternatively judge being dismissed while going for a shot. It wasn't acceptable to maine that I sewage retired while trying to accommodate to a style which didn't travel people to me. All of my dismissals successful this play were disconnected protect shots."

So has Gill been much affirmative successful caller years?

Yes: successful short, he's playing much attacking shots and leaving nan shot less.

Kohli, successful particular, was hopeless to do good successful England aft erstwhile failures and Gill will surely beryllium nary different.

Curiously, he has played 3 Tests successful England against 3 different opponents.

That happened by kindness of appearing successful India's 2 World Test Championship last appearances against New Zealand and Australia, positive 1 Test against England successful 2022.

A apical people of 28 successful six innings will surely beryllium improved upon this summer, but England will beryllium much than alert that 4 of Gill's dismissals successful nan UK person been either caught down by nan keeper aliases successful nan gaffe cordon.

What is absorbing astir Gill is really importantly amended he is against rotation (averaging 42) compared to gait (31).

Despite this, however, he is not a prolific sweeper. When he does usage that changeable he strikes astatine 212 per 100 balls.

He loves to latch connected to thing short, striking astatine 190 connected nan propulsion changeable which has brought him 29 fours and 3 sixes successful Test cricket for nan value of conscionable 1 dismissal.

The changeable which has brought him nan astir runs is nan drive, but his spot is besides a weakness, pinch that accounting for 5 dismissals.

Perhaps emblematic of immoderate opener, immoderate 21 of his dismissals successful Test cricket person travel playing a guardant protect shot. This is different logic why England will beryllium packing nan gaffe cordon pinch nan caller ball.

Interestingly, he averages 40 against accelerated bowling of 87mph upwards and 22 against nan slower seam bowlers.

The retired James Anderson has sewage him retired much than anyone other successful Test cricket, while Gill has besides struggled against Australia's Scott Boland.

Could Chris Woakes beryllium England's man to make nan guidance skipper his bunny this summer?

Gill has immoderate activity experience, having captained India successful 5 T20 internationals and taking complaint of Gujarat Titans successful nan Indian Premier League.

Gujarat vanished 3rd successful nan 2025 IPL, having been eighth nan twelvemonth earlier - Gill's first successful charge. He has a triumph percent of 52%, which is thing spectacular compared to Hardik Pandya's 71% successful much games successful complaint of nan Titans.

Australia awesome Ricky Ponting believes "leadership sits really well" pinch Gill, while nan subordinate himself says he is embracing nan challenge.

If his desire to beryllium much affirmative pinch nan bat sounds very akin to nan mantra wrong nan England campy - Gill played nether England caput coach Brendon McCullum successful nan IPL - truthful is his activity philosophy.

"What I for illustration is connection pinch nan players, making nan players consciousness secure, talking to them, giving them comfortableness astir their weaknesses and strengths," Gill said erstwhile unveiled arsenic skipper.

"If you are a skipper of immoderate squad aliases a leader of immoderate team, if your players consciousness very secure, only past they tin springiness their 100%."

What is for judge is that he will beryllium much Kohli than Rohit successful nan field.

Never 1 to return a backward step, Gill sledged James Anderson and Jonny Bairstow successful a Test successful India, while umpires person felt his beingness erstwhile successful complaint astatine nan IPL.

India's 'Prince' whitethorn person chiselled, movie star-like bully looks, but he will beryllium prepared to conflict if nan crown slips.