Ravi Shastri, the former Indian head coach, has showered immense praise on Shubman Gill, drawing comparisons between the young captain's batting prowess and that of the legendary Don Bradman. This ultimate praise came after Gill's sensational performance in the second Test against England at Edgbaston, where he scored 269 and 161 across two innings.
Shastri, commentating during the Edgbaston Test, declared that Gill batted like Bradman in both innings. He lauded Gill's leadership, giving him a "10 out of 10" for his captaincy. Shastri highlighted Gill's proactive decision-making, including the selection of debutant Akash Deep, who proved to be a game-changer with a 10-wicket haul. Shastri believes Deep is ideally suited for English conditions and will continue to trouble England's batters throughout the series.
Gill's performance at Edgbaston was record-breaking. He became the first batter to register a 200-plus and a 150-plus score in the same Test match. His 269 in the first innings is the highest score by an Indian captain in England, surpassing Virat Kohli's previous record. Gill's aggregate of 430 runs in the match is the second-highest by any batter in a single Test, only behind Graham Gooch's 456 against India in 1990.
Shastri also pointed out the transformation in Gill's captaincy between the first and second Tests. He noted that Gill was reactive in the first Test at Headingley but became proactive and composed at Edgbaston. Shastri emphasized that Gill's captaincy was gutsy and that he didn't just manage the game but changed it.
Beyond his recent exploits, Gill has had a stellar 2025. In IPL 2025, he played 15 matches and scored 650 runs with a highest score of 93. In ODI matches in 2025, Gill has two centuries and two half-centuries.
Shastri has been a long-time admirer of Gill's talent. He recalled spotting Gill's potential during the 2018 U-19 World Cup and pushing for his inclusion in the Indian team. Shastri said that Gill reminded him of Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, noting his class and ability.
Gill's rise has not gone unnoticed by his peers. Virat Kohli praised Gill as a "star boy" and lauded his record-breaking performance. Kohli posted on Instagram, "Well played star boy. Rewriting history. Onwards and upwards from here. You deserve all of this".
Shastri's comparison of Shubman Gill to Don Bradman is high praise indeed. While it is still early in Gill's career, his recent performances suggest that he has the potential to become one of the greats of the game. Gill's leadership, combined with his exceptional batting skills, makes him a valuable asset to the Indian team. Only time will tell if Gill can live up to the comparisons with Bradman, but he has certainly made a strong statement with his recent performances.