“They tell me I’m a bit of a bowler's captain” - Star Indian batter opens up on his leadership style ahead of 2025 Champions Trophy

Indian cricketer Shubman Gill has opened up about his evolving captaincy style, acknowledging that he is still in the process of understanding the intricacies of leading a team. The 25-year-old got his first taste of captaincy on the global stage during IPL 2024, where he led Gujarat Titans. However, he endured a tough season as the team failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Later that year, Gill captained India in a five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, leading the Men in Blue to a dominant 4-1 victory. In a recent segment of Disney+ Hotstar’s ‘Inside Out with Gill,’ the right-hander was asked to describe himself as a captain, to which he responded:

“I think I need more time to be able to answer the question of what type of captain I would be. There are still many aspects of my captaincy style that need to be figured out. But whatever feedback I get from the players, they tell me I’m a bit of a bowler's captain. I like to be involved in the game because I think it brings the best out of me as a player. I trust my bowlers with their plans, and I always try to give them confidence, even when I’m not the captain.”

Meanwhile, Shubman Gill was recently appointed as the vice-captain of the Indian ODI team ahead of the ongoing series against England. The Punjab cricketer expressed that it was a great responsibility and that he looked forward to learning as much as he could from experienced leaders like Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir. He shared:

“I think it's a great responsibility. The most important thing for me is to lead by performance. When you're given that responsibility, it's important to earn the respect of your teammates and show them why you’ve been entrusted with it. This will be my aim, and I’ll learn from Rohit Bhai and Gautam Bhai—the way they think about the game, and the approach they take is something I hope to learn from.”

The right-handed batter showcased his form in the first ODI, scoring a crucial 87 to help guide India to a four-wicket victory over England in Nagpur on February 6.

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“I’ve learned a lot from all” - Shubman Gill shares his experience of playing under different captains

In the same conversation, Shubman Gill opened up about the distinct qualities of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Hardik Pandya as captains. He shared:

“Everyone has different qualities. I think Virat Bhai is more aggressive and instinctive; whatever he feels, he does it straight away. Rohit Bhai, on the other hand, thinks a lot more before changing any plan. He gives a little more time to the current plan before moving on to the next one."

"Hardik Bhai has a lot of confidence, is flamboyant, and tries to dominate when he's on the field. He constantly encourages everyone to dominate and not let the other team have a chance. I’ve learned a lot from all three," Gill continued.

The 25-year-old will be in action when India face England in the second ODI, scheduled for February 9 in Cuttack.