Matured Gill reflects on lessons from hard-fought England series ICC World Test Championship
Adding to the challenge was the significant shift in responsibility, as he took over the captaincy following Rohit Sharma's retirement. With the series ending in a 2-2 draw, Gill admits it has been a steep but enjoyable learning curve for him as both a player and a leader, following India's thrilling six run win in London that squared the series.
"There are moments like these where you feel the journey is worth it. The moment that we had in the morning. There have been a lot of highs and lows, and that's kind of expected, especially with sports," said Gill.
"Obviously, every game or every time you go in to bat, you want to be able to perform. You want to be able to score a century. But unfortunately, that's not how the game or life works. You should be able to navigate through the highs and lows of life and try to stay balanced throughout.'
Gill, the captain, shone throughout the series - but more importantly, his contributions with the bat stood out. He amassed 754 runs in ten innings, including three centuries and a double century.
'That's what, at least, I believe in - that I want to be able to stay balanced, whether we have won the match, lost the match, I've done well or I've not done well. It's difficult, but it's a process. That's the real journey - to be able to stay balanced. I'm still learning, but so far, so good."
Alongside him was the star of the final Test, Mohammed Siraj, whose five-wicket haul in the final innings proved crucial in securing India's dramatic six-run victory.
"I always believe in my bowling. I believe in myself that I can take wickets from any situation. This is my only belief. Whether I am bowling the 8th or the 1st spell, I don't care. But I want to give 100%.'
'Whatever result comes, I will take it. But I will give you 100%. Don't think too much. I never run after the result. I focus on the process — how much pressure I can build and how I can bowl in partnership. This is my mindset."
Gill and his decisions have come under scrutiny throughout the series - from team selection choices to fiery on-field moments. However, the young skipper remains unfazed, ready to stand by his decisions and take responsibility if they don't pay off.
'You keep learning every day, because I learnt a lot from Day 1 in the series, till the last day. There were a lot of people who thought there should have been a fourth fast bowler, but the guy who played instead of the fourth bowler, Karun [Nair] his fifty in the first innings was equally important for us, which took us to a decent total.
"Such opinions will keep forming, especially in hindsight, after the match gets completed. But you got to weigh in what is important for you at that moment. We felt three fast bowlers will get the job done for us and they delivered.'
'When decisions go your way, people will praise you, but had it not gone India's way, I am aware that shots would have been taken at me and I am fine with that because at the end of the day I know I made the decision with was best for the team,'
Siraj was full of praise for Shubman Gill the captain, with whom he shares a deep bond - one that has grown over the years through shared dressing rooms with India A sides, the IPL, and now the national team.
'Shubman and I have been friends for a long time, we played together in India A, so our communication is very good. He is also the captain in Gujarat Titans, so there is a lot of understanding. I know his thinking. When I talk to him, he listens, so there is a lot of understanding. So our understanding is very good. It feels good that his growth is going up. Very happy for him."
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5 hours ago
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The National
5 hours ago
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An euphoric India heaped praises on Shubman Gill and his men after they pulled off an edge-of-the-seat thriller at the Oval on Monday to split an all-time classic series with England. Odds were stacked against India in their first Test series under Gill, who inherited a team depleted by the retirement of batting stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli - two men who preceded him in that role. As if the gaping holes in their batting order were not bad enough, veteran seamer Mohammed Shami was deemed unfit for the tour, while pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was available only for three of the five Tests as part of his workload management. Gill and his men went on to record memorable victories at Edgbaston and the Oval to secure a 2-2 series draw and assure their legions of fans that the future of Indian cricket was in safe hands. The indefatigable Mohammed Siraj led their lion-hearted bowling afford in the series finale to script a six-run victory amid high drama. Batting great Sachin Tendulkar led tributes to the team and said the quality of cricket on offer was "absolute goosebumps". "Series 2–2, Performance 10/10! SUPERMEN from INDIA! What a win," the former India captain wrote on X. England needed 35 runs on Monday to secure a 3-1 series win with four wickets in hand but Siraj struck three times to secure a famous victory for his team. "In a nail-biting, riveting hour of cricket at England's oldest test match ground, in characteristically cloudy Olde Blighty weather, India pulled off a historic heist," the Hindustan Times newspaper wrote. An Indian Express headline read "Miracles Do Happen" and the newspaper explained how Gill had stepped up as captain of a 'gun team'. The Hindu waxed eloquent on the "Mission accomplished". "After 25 days of riveting action, the best was saved for the last as Shubman Gil's men rode Mohammed Siraj's sensational spell to pull off a remarkable victory," it said. "It was a litmus test for an Indian team in transition but the young side showed heart and character as it fought back from tough situations to share the honours."
