IPL 2022 Auction: 3 reasons why Shubman Gill could have been a better captain for Lucknow 

According to multiple media reports, prolific batter KL Rahul has been picked as the captain of the new Lucknow franchise for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

A report in ESPNcricinfo claimed that Rahul is one of the cricketers the new franchise decided to pick from the draft ahead of the mega auction, which will be held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru. The report added that Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and uncapped leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi have also been chosen by the franchise.

Rahul, who is said to have been picked at a price of ₹15 crore, had earlier led Punjab Kings (PBKS) but was not keen on continuing with the team. The franchise confirmed the same while announcing their retention list.

Ahmedabad, on the other hand, have reportedly picked all-rounder Hardik Pandya, leg-spinner Rashid Khan and young opener Shubman Gill from the draft.

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IPL Auction 2022: Could Lucknow have picked Shubman Gill as captain?

While Rahul looks set to lead Lucknow, we look at three reasons why Gill could have been a better choice to lead the new IPL franchise.

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#1 Shubman Gill doesn’t carry any baggage as leader

KL Rahul is likely to lead the Lucknow franchise. Pic: IPLT20.COM

Gill has captained the India Blue team in the Duleep Trophy and India C in the Deodhar Trophy. However, when it comes to the IPL, he does not carry any baggage as leader.

He played for a few seasons with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) under Dinesh Karthik and Eoin Morgan’s leadership. Gill would thus have come in with fresh ideas as leader.

Rahul, meanwhile, has not tasted success as skipper with the Punjab Kings. The 29-year-old was the leading run-getter for the franchise in IPL 2020 and 2021, amassing 670 and 626 runs respectively.

As a team though, they were hugely disappointing. PBKS finished sixth in both seasons. Although it is often said that the captain is only as good as his team, Rahul did not look in control as the leader of the franchise.

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#2 Shubman Gill's composure has impressed former cricketers

Shubman Gill batting for KKR. Pic: IPLT20.COM

There must be something about Gill’s composure, which is why a number of former cricketers have backed the youngster for a leadership role. During IPL 2020, England legend Kevin Pietersen tweeted that Gill should be KKR's captain. Pietersen made the observation after the youngster scored a calm 70* in a 143-run chase against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Abu Dhabi.

Speaking ahead of IPL 2021, former India Test opener Aakash Chopra also batted for Gill to take over as Kolkata captain. Chopra had stated back then that KKR could groom Gill for a better future. According to him, Gill could have done for Kolkata what a young Shreyas Iyer did with Delhi Capitals.

Even former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull had predicted during IPL 2020 that Gill would be future captaincy material. He had observed while telling Cricbuzz:

“I won’t be surprised if we see him leading an IPL side two years down the line at the ripe age of 22-23. I think he should spend a lot of time with Dinesh Karthik and Eoin Morgan and pick their brains. He also has Brendon McCullum, one of the most innovative captains in the last 7-9 years. I think he can learn a lot if he is around these guys.”

As such, Lucknow could have benefited from his raw talent and untapped leadership skills.

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#3 Shubman Gill could have been groomed into the role

Shubman Gill batting for India. Pic: Getty Images

Gill is only 22 but has decent exposure to international and IPL cricket. As a vice-captain, he played a leading role in India’s 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup campaign.

He was the leading run-scorer for India in the tournament, amassing 372 runs. He was also deservedly adjudged the Player of the tournament.

Following the impressive performance, he was earmarked for bigger things. Significantly, from his early playing days, Gill was viewed as a cricketer with leadership potential.

The way he bats, Gill often gives the impression of someone who is in control of the situation. As such, Lucknow could have taken a punt with Gill instead of playing it safe with Rahul's experience.