Gavaskar observed that all three captains shared a calm and composed demeanor, a quality he believes was crucial in leading India to those historic victories.
Sunil Gavaskar Compares Shubman Gill’s Captaincy to Legendary Indian Leaders in England
Batting great Sunil Gavaskar has compared Shubman Gill’s captaincy traits to those of Indian captains who famously led India to Test series wins in England. Reflecting on India’s rare series triumphs—under Ajit Wadekar in 1971, Kapil Dev in 1986, and Rahul Dravid in 2007—Gavaskar highlighted a common thread among these leaders: calm, composed leadership.
While India currently trail 1-2 in the ongoing series under Gill’s captaincy, they have shown resilience and are determined to bounce back in the final two matches.
Gavaskar emphasized that all three captains shared a cool and composed demeanor, which was instrumental in guiding India to those historic victories.
“It might be pertinent to note that India have won a Test series in England only thrice. In 1971 under Ajit Wadekar, in 1986 under Kapil Dev and in 2007 under Rahul Dravid. All three were the coolest skippers one could ever hope for. The laconic style of Wadekar, the rip-roaring yet controlled style of Kapil and the intense and thoughtful method of Dravid,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-day.
‘Shubman Gill in Birmingham looked like an amalgam of these three
Shubman Gill took over the Test captaincy following Rohit Sharma’s sudden retirement. Though his batting technique in red-ball cricket was initially questioned, Gill has silenced critics with a double century and two centuries. However, his leadership remains under scrutiny as he adapts to the role.
Sunil Gavaskar praised Gill’s captaincy during India’s emphatic win in Birmingham, comparing him to a blend of legendary Indian captains Ajit Wadekar, Kapil Dev, and Rahul Dravid.
“Not once did these three ever get excited whatever the situation and that calm certainty was infectious. Shubman Gill in Birmingham looked like an amalgam of these three. Intense and iconic while scoring a double century and a century, rip-roaring as well as thoughtful as his bowlers ran through the England batting in both innings,” Gavaskar added.
