Gautam Gambhir Tears Into Shubman Gill's Critics, Gives Fitting Response: "A Lot Of Unfair Things Said"

Shubman Gill has impressed one and all in his short tenure as India captain so far. Handed the big responsibility ahead of India's five-match Test tour of England, Gill smashed 754 runs in the series and achieved a 2-2 draw in the series. India head coach Gautam Gambhir has now heaped praise at Gill for the way he handled the enormous pressure of captaincy at the age of just 25. Gambhir also pointed out that Gill received "unfair" criticism, and applauded him for the way he dealt with it.

Gill slammed 754 runs - a record for an Indian captain in a single Test series - as India snatched a 2-2 series draw with victory in the final Test against England at The Oval.

"I told him (Gill), after we won the Oval Test match, that 'you have passed your most difficult test. The transition is over. And from here on, things will become much, much easier'," revealed Gambhir, in an interview with Star Sports.

"And I hope things get easier for him, because I think he deserves every bit of it. The amount of criticism and the amount of things people have said about him. A lot of unfair things have been said about him," Gambhir stated.

The captaincy of the Indian team is arguably one of the most difficult roles in the world of cricket, and Gambhir lauded Gill for the way he led India in England.

Gambhir explained that Gill's leadership qualities stood out much more than the 754 runs he scored in the series.

"Sometimes you put players at risk of their potential. You expect a 25-year-old kid to have an average Test score of 50. To make runs everywhere. Over a period of time, that will happen. I was never shocked that he made 750 runs. But more than that, I was happy about the way he led the team," Gambhir said.

"There were moments where, I'm sure, I was under pressure. The entire support staff was under pressure. And more than us, I think he was under pressure on the field. But in those 25 days, I don't think I saw a single moment where he showed that frustration or that pressure on his face. Led with a smile, 25 days of intense cricket," Gambhir added.

Gill has also been named India's ODI captain ahead of their three-match series against Australia Down Under, replacing Rohit Sharma in the role.

Topics mentioned in this article

Gautam Gambhir Shubman Gill India Cricket Team Cricket