Rahul Dravid didn’t hesitate for a moment before praising Shubman Gill’s leadership qualities when the selectors sought his input.
Shubman Gill and Rahul Dravid: A Journey from Mentorship to Leadership
Rahul Dravid and Shubman Gill’s association dates back to 2017. Gill was then an 18-year-old preparing for his first taste of international cricket as part of India’s U19 team coached by Dravid. At the time, Gill wasn’t the biggest name in the squad — that title belonged to Prithvi Shaw, the captain and the face of Indian cricket’s next generation. However, by the time India lifted the U19 World Cup a year later, the spotlight had subtly shifted. Gill emerged as India’s top run-scorer, impressing with his composure, balance, and poise under pressure.
Although both Dravid and Gill were still a few steps away from India’s senior setup, it took three years for them to reunite — this time as player and coach.
In 2022, Dravid, now India’s head coach, consulted then-captain Rohit Sharma and made a rare gesture. He asked Gill where he’d prefer to bat in the Test XI. At the time, Gill had played just 15 Tests and was averaging in the low 30s. Still, Dravid saw something deeper — not just a promising batter, but a future leader.
Gill, traditionally an opener, chose the No.3 spot, recently vacated by Cheteshwar Pujara. It wasn’t until the home Test series against England that Gill truly repaid Dravid and Rohit’s faith. After a loss in the first Test in Hyderabad, India needed someone other than Yashasvi Jaiswal to step up in Virat Kohli’s absence. Gill answered with a century in the second innings of the second Test.
He was under pressure to cement his place. Yet, he followed up with two more second-innings half-centuries in the next two Tests, and finally capped off the series with a century in Dharamsala — leading India to a 4-1 series win. The pitches were tough, key batters were missing, but Gill held firm at No.3.
Even Dravid may not have anticipated how swiftly Gill would rise as a leader in Indian cricket. After India’s T20 World Cup win and Dravid’s exit as coach, few would have foreseen Rohit Sharma’s steep decline in the last three Test series. But amid the transitions, Gill’s ascent as both a dependable batter and a leader has been a silver lining for Indian cricket.
Dravid’s role in Shubman Gill’s appointment
When India’s selectors sat down to decide who would lead the Test team after Rohit Sharma’s retirement, the race quickly narrowed to two names — Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant. Jasprit Bumrah, despite his experience, was ruled out due to workload management. At this pivotal moment, the selection committee turned to Rahul Dravid, the outgoing head coach, for insight. Dravid’s response was emphatic and immediate: Gill was the man for the job.
“The selectors spoke to Dravid as he had seen Gill from his teenage years and had coached him both at U19 and senior levels. He had some great things to say about Gill’s potential as a leader,” a senior BCCI official was quoted as saying.
Ajit Agarkar, India’s chairman of selectors, confirmed the panel’s long-term vision. “You don’t pick captains for just one or two series. We’re investing in something that we believe will pay off in the future. We’ve seen promising signs in Gill over the past year,” Agarkar said.
Indeed, the grooming of Gill for leadership wasn’t sudden. He had been made vice-captain in ODIs ahead of the Champions Trophy. A similar path was being considered for Test cricket — until India’s underwhelming performances in their last two Test series fast-tracked the leadership transition. With both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli stepping down simultaneously, the need for fresh leadership became urgent.
Gill’s elevation marks a new era for Indian Test cricket. And while expectations are high, so is the belief — from selectors, coaches, and fans alike — that this leap of faith will evolve into a defining chapter in Indian cricket history.
