Jos Buttler has offered his insights into what to expect from Shubman Gill as India's new Test captain, drawing on his experiences of playing alongside him. Buttler believes Gill possesses a unique blend of qualities gleaned from his predecessors, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, but ultimately will forge his own path as a leader.
Buttler, speaking on a podcast with Stuart Broad, highlighted Gill's impressive demeanor both on and off the field. He noted that while Gill is "pretty calm and measured" when he speaks, he also possesses "a bit of fight about him; a bit of intensity, quite passionate" when on the field. This observation led Buttler to suggest that Gill's captaincy style will likely be a mix of Kohli's aggression and Rohit's cool, calm approach.
Buttler lauded Kohli for transforming the Indian team into a fiercely competitive unit, always "in your face, up for the contest." In contrast, he described Rohit as more laid-back and collected, but with an underlying fighting spirit. Buttler anticipates that Gill will find a middle ground between these two contrasting styles, drawing the best from both while establishing his own distinct leadership identity. "He's obviously learned from those two guys… but he'll be very much his own man," Buttler stated.
Furthermore, Buttler acknowledged the immense pressure and scrutiny that comes with captaining the Indian Test team. He described it as being the "third or fourth-most influential" position in the country, highlighting the massive responsibility Gill now carries. Buttler also pointed out the importance of Gill separating his batting from his captaincy, adding, "He talked about compartmentalising batting and captaining; so when he's batting he just wants to be a batter, and then he will try and work on his captaincy and try and separate the two roles."
Buttler also acknowledged the staggering level of stardom that comes with the job. “I don't think we can quite comprehend how big a star an Indian Test captain is". Gill is seen by fans and media as Indian cricket's 'prince', now stepping into a role once held by legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.
Gill's captaincy stint with the Gujarat Titans in the IPL, where he led the team to the playoffs in his second season, has provided him with valuable leadership experience. Despite lacking Test captaincy experience, this exposure to high-pressure situations will serve him well as he embarks on this new chapter in his career.
While Gill has a decent Test record, his relatively lower average in away conditions suggests a potential challenge ahead, particularly in the upcoming series against England. This series will be Gill's first full Test tour of England, although he has featured in the WTC finals in 2021 and 2023.
Buttler is excited to see how Gill handles the pressures and expectations of leading the Indian Test team. He believes that Gill has the potential to thrive in this role and build on the legacies of his predecessors. As India prepares for the upcoming five-Test series against England, all eyes will be on Shubman Gill as he begins his journey as the nation's Test captain.
