"Shubman Gill could have been groomed under someone" - Legendary bowler's massive statement ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test

Legendary spinner R Ashwin believes Shubman Gill was appointed Team India's Test captain prematurely. He opined that the batter should have been groomed under a different leader for a smoother transition.

Gill took over the Test captaincy reins from Rohit Sharma, who announced his retirement from red-ball cricket in May 2025. The Indian think tank appointed the 25-year-old as the new skipper, with wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant as his deputy.

Speaking about the move, Ashwin said in the latest YouTube video of his channel, 'Ash ki Baat', (at 24:10):

"When the news of Shubman Gill being appointed as the captain came, I had said that some other guys should also have been considered. I still stand by it because Shubman could have been groomed under someone for a year or two."

However, Ashwin seemed highly impressed by what Gill had done in the early days of his captaincy. He pointed out that despite not having significant experience in leading a team, the right-handed batter has shown that he thrives on responsibility.

"The way Shubman Gill has taken to captaincy is like a duck to water. It's been something else. He didn't even captain in U19; Prithvi Shaw was the captain. He is not used to captaincy. Gujarat Titans was his first big stint as a captain. After all that, he showed that as a captain, he can get into the series by scoring runs. He scored in the first two Tests, and then, after a setback, even when there was some pressure, he came and hit an amazing hundred," he added (at 24:25).

Shubman Gill has been India's standout batting performer in the five-match series against England. He became the first-ever player in world cricket to hit four centuries in a debut Test series as captain.

He is currently the leading run-scorer of the series, amassing 722 runs across eight innings at an average of 90.25. Meanwhile, England have a 2-1 lead ahead of the remaining fifth fixture.

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"A huge tick mark for me" - R Ashwin's massive praise for Shubman Gill's captaincy in ENG vs IND 2025 series

R Ashwin pointed out that Shubman Gill has not let the added pressure of captaincy affect his batting. He lauded the Indian skipper for his clutch 103-run knock in the side's second innings of the recently concluded drawn fourth Test.

Suggesting that Gill's performances have been a "huge tick mark", Ashwin said (at 25:00):

"After being on a leather hunt for 600 runs, to come out and make a hundred, it is a testament to his quality and fitness. It also shows that this particular leader can keep captaincy away from his batting, without allowing it to disturb his head. So, all in all, it's a huge tick mark for me. It's a great start."

It is worth mentioning that Gill is just 53 runs shy of breaking Sunil Gavaskar's record of scoring the most runs as an Indian batter in a single series. Backing the talented player to achieve the tremendous feat, Ashwin added

"It should happen, and it will happen (Gavaskar record). He will make 800 runs, and he deserves every single bit."

India will rely on Shubman Gill's stellar form in the fifth Test as they look to secure a win and draw the series 2-2. The match will be played at The Oval, London, from July 31 to August 4.