Shubman Gill faces a major challenge as he looks to steer India’s Test side back on course following a bruising 2-0 home series defeat to South Africa. The setback was made tougher by Gill’s own misfortune during the series. Slated to lead the team, he suffered a neck injury in the opening Test that ruled him out of the remainder of the contest. Gill was forced to retire hurt after sustaining the blow in the first innings and did not take the field again, missing the second innings altogether. He also went on to miss the second Test as India suffered an embarrassing whitewash at home.
Meanwhile, Gill is looking to take decisive steps in his role as Test captain to get Indian cricket back on track. The India skipper believes stronger preparation is essential to cope with the demands of Test cricket. According to a report in The Times of India, he has suggested to the BCCI that holding 15-day red-ball camps before a Test series would help players be better prepared for the challenges of the format.
Former India batter Robin Uthappa praised Gill’s reported push for longer Test-match preparation, hailing it as a strong example of leadership thinking. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Uthappa backed the idea of dedicated red-ball camps, stressing the importance of planning and preparation if India are serious about succeeding in Test cricket and the World Test Championship.
“I think it is an insane call from a leader. There cannot be a better call than that. He is taking charge of Test cricket in that sense. It is very good. Before a Test series, a team needs a preparation of at least two weeks. We are playing Test series to win the WTC. So to win that, we cannot win by just playing Test cricket. You have to plan, prepare, and build. You need to give that respect to Test cricket as a board and a team. I am very happy that he brought it up,” he said on his YouTube channel.
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Shubman to lead India in ODIs vs New Zealand
Shubman’s next test as captain comes in the ODI format, with India set to host New Zealand from January 11. After losing his first ODI series in Australia, Gill will be eager to make a mark at home, where he is still searching for a defining impact as both leader and batter.
