- By Vishal Pushkar
- Fri, 02 Jan 2026 08:55 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Indian National Cricket Team News: Indian current Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill hasn't had it easy ever since his arrival in the international arena. His Cricketing career has been a huge talking point among fans and former players, with Gill seldom being deemed the next big thing in Indian Cricket. Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan, while reflecting on Shubman Gill's career, stated that Gill has what it takes to live up to expectations.
Gill, who also got roped in India's T20I side as vice-captain during the Asia Cup 2025, was dropped at the last moment from the T20 World Cup squad. Notably, selectors and team management saw an 'all-format' captain in him; however, his poor form in T20s cost Gill his place in the side.
Speaking on JioHotstar, Pathan mentioned how senior player Rahul Dravid gave him a reality check when he received his maiden call-up in 19.
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“When I entered the Indian team at the age of 19, the great Rahul Dravid told me that you have come to the team, it is good, but things would get tougher from here," Pathan said.
Similar Phase Of Development Awaits Gill: Pathan
“The same can be said for Gill. He became captain in that England series; he increased his average and authority within the team. Then he got the ODI captaincy. When that happens, you get an opportunity to grow a lot," Pathan said.
The key chapter of Gill’s year took place during his first full Test tour of England. With Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin not available, the young Test skipper had to take on the role of captain.
Gill had a remarkable performance, scoring 754 runs in five Tests with an impressive average of 75.4. His achievements included four centuries and a personal best of 269.
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“He has a lot of talent. There will always be comparisons. Virat was compared with Sachin and now Gill is being compared to Virat, who has scored those 25000-30000 runs," Pathan said.
"I think he is fully capable of it. He has a fine range of shots. The more responsibility and challenges he gets, he will grow as a cricketer. I have seen that he is always ready for cricket," Pathan added.