Just before the first Test against England at Headingley, a major change came in Indian Test cricket. Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket, and the captaincy was handed over to Shubman Gill. Soon after this, Virat Kohli also said goodbye to Test cricket. With this, the Indian team got a new number four batsman - Gill, who is now batting in place of Kohli at this position.
Gill had said before the match, "I want to be the best batsman in this series." The statement reflected confidence, and he proved his intentions on the very first day. Gill played an unbeaten innings of 127 runs in 175 balls. England won the toss and chose to bowl, but the end of the first day was in India's favor - three wickets for 359 runs. Instead of playing under pressure, Gill turned the situation in his favour. The 25-year-old displayed a mix of accurate timing, patience and aggression.
If we look back seven years, Virat Kohli's Test captaincy began in 2014 in Adelaide. In that Test, Kohli scored a century in both innings—115 and 141. That innings against the Australian attack was a blow to the pressure of captaincy, which determined the direction of his leadership. Now Gill has also started with a century, but the difference is that Gill has taken the first step to connect himself with Kohli by scoring a century on foreign soil. One thing is common in the innings of both players—intent.
Gill has a different way of looking at the game. He is naturally aggressive but also knows how to play slow when needed. Kohli's captaincy had aggression, passion and finesse of field placement. On the other hand, Gill makes decisions with a cool mind, as he also demonstrated in his bowling changes during the IPL, and it will be interesting to see how he takes the field when India comes on to bowl. However, this is just the beginning of the Gill era.
Can Gill match Kohli?
Gill has immense potential. His technique is solid, and he has patience, but captaincy is not just about the scoreboard; it is about managing the dressing room, making big decisions and giving direction in difficult times. Kohli has captained his team by becoming a shield at times. It will take time for Gill to reach this level.
Gill's start is impressive. He has the platform where he can not only score runs but also give a new identity to the team. Will he be able to become a leader like Kohli? Time will tell the answer. However, there is no denying that he is on the right track- and perhaps, somewhere, has already laid the foundation of a new legacy. First, he needs to improve his stats in Test cricket and make the number four position his own.
