‘I totally agree with that’ - Former cricketer backs Shubman Gill as all format captain for India

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan recently highlighted the importance of clarity in leadership, stressing that a team needs to know who its long-term engine is. The selectors might appear to take a similar view by backing Gill as per Pathan. His appointment will also provide the team with stability, ensuring that younger players rally behind one figurehead rather than adjusting to different captains across formats. 

The conversation around India’s next leader has been ongoing for months, with the selectors weighing options after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma gradually stepped away from certain formats. Suryakumar Yadav briefly led in T20Is, while Rohit remained ODI captain, but the lack of a unified voice was seen as a hurdle for long-term planning. With the cricketing calendar packed with bilateral series, World Cups, and ICC events, the board might wait for the right time to move towards one captain for all formats, and Gill is most likley the unanimous choice.

"If you look around, there must be a certain type of continuity in leadership. Nowhere would you see that three captains are there in three different formats. Take an example, say you’re playing against South Africa in all three formats. Now imagine the people sitting at the back, say Rahul Dravid or Ravi Shastri and, now, Gautam Gambhir. How easy or difficult will it be to work with three different captains? So, I understand what Indian cricket is trying to do now. They are trying to have some stability in terms of leadership because it’s a transition. And stability in terms of batting as well, so it is very important for Shubman to be there in the leadership. I totally agree with that," Pathan said on RevSportz.

Statistically too, Gill has been among India’s most consistent batters in all formats. In ODIs, he averages close to 60, making him one of the most reliable top-order batters in world cricket. His adaptability across T20s and Tests has given the team management confidence that he can balance aggressive tactics in shorter formats with patience in red-ball cricket. Importantly, his calm personality and sharp cricketing mind have been viewed as ideal qualities for managing a diverse squad.

As India prepares for upcoming assignments in both Asia and overseas, Gill’s first challenge will be to prove that he can balance heavy expectations with performance. If his recent track record is any indication, Indian cricket may just have found its next great all-format leader, capable of guiding the team into a fresh era of success. 

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