"That's what a good leader should do" - Ex-KKR seamer's massive statement on Shubman Gill's heated exchange with Zak Crawley in ENG vs IND 2025 series

Former Australia and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer Brett Lee reserved high praise for Shubman Gill after Team India's five-match away Test series against England. The recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy was Gill's maiden assignment as India's red-ball captain.

Lee lauded Gill for standing up for his players at Lord's, London, in the third Test. The 25-year-old was involved in a heated verbal exchange with English opener Zak Crawley on Day 3.

The Indian skipper was visibly upset with Crawley's time-wasting tactics towards the closing stages of the day and gave the batter an earful. Suggesting that Gill did what a good leader should have done in such a situation, Lee said in his latest YouTube video (at 2:38):

"What happened at Lord's, a bit of verbals and chat between both sides, I don't have an issue with that. And the thing with Shubman Gill, he wants to lead from the front. He is the charge of his troops, and if someone has a go at one of his players, he is going to stand up for them. That's what happened, and that's what a good leader should do."

England secured a 22-run victory at Lord's. India went into the fifth Test trailing 1-2. The visitors clinched a thrilling six-run win at The Oval, London, to draw the series 2-2.

Gill was India's standout performer with the bat on the tour. Lee stated that the added responsibility of captaining the team brought the best out of the right-handed batter.

He opined that Gill was a player who thrives on responsibility. Commenting on the Indian skipper's imperious run in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, the cricketer-turned-commentator added (at 1:37):

"I think the captaincy is a perfect foil for his style of cricket. The captaincy works for him as a player. There are some captains that when they get the opportunity, don't score runs or take wickets, but Shubman Gill, I reckon, he loves it. All the people didn't think that the captaincy would suit Shubman Gill, but I can promise you, it does."

Reckoning that Gill earned the respect of the Indian dressing room by leading from the front, Lee remarked (at 2:01):

"What it does for the players around him, the respect level goes through the roof. When you have a leader, a captain, scoring runs or taking wickets, leading from the front, (benefits the team). Any captain can get up as a leader and say, 'This is how we do it, this is what we want to achieve. Blah blah blah.'

"That's all well and good, and you're going to give a great speech, but if you can't deliver on the field, then talk is cheap. However, Shubman Gill has proven that he's got the chat; he's also got the swagger and runs to back it up," he added.

Shubman Gill amassed 754 runs across 10 innings at an average of 75.40 on the tour. He became the first player to hit four centuries in his debut Test series as captain.

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"Keep being the aggressor" - Brett Lee's advice to Shubman Gill after ENG vs IND 2025 series

Brett Lee urged Shubman Gill to continue backing the same approach. He opined that the talented batter should focus on leading from the front and supporting his players.

The legendary pacer emphasized that it will be important for Gill to manage feisty characters like Mohammed Siraj. Lee stated in the same video (at 4:32):

"My advice for Shubman Gill is don't change, just keep scoring runs, and keep being the aggressor on the field from a batting point of view, but also from a leadership point of view. He has got players around him that love to have a crack. When you think about Mohammed Siraj, you need a good captain that manages his fast bowlers."

India's Test team will next be seen in action in a two-match home series against West Indies. The opening encounter will be played at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, from October 2 to 6.