Shubman Gill’s style of captaincy blends the fire of Virat Kohli with the ice-cool composure of Rohit Sharma but India’s new test skipper will carve out his own identity as he leads them in the upcoming test series in England, Jos Buttler said on Tuesday.
India named Gill as their new test captain in May, picking the 25-year-old top-order batter over pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah after Rohit quit the format.
India have long recognised Gill’s leadership qualities, previously naming him vice-captain in both white-ball formats, while he also had two seasons as skipper of Indian Premier League (IPL) side Gujarat Titans.
“He’s a really impressive player and an impressive young man…,” Buttler, who played under Gill at Gujarat, said on the ‘For the Love of Cricket’ podcast.
“I feel like, on the field he’s got a bit of fight about him — a bit of intensity, quite passionate. I think he’ll be a mix of Kohli and Rohit.
“Kohli (was) that sort of real aggressive (character), really transformed the Indian team, in your face, up for the contest. Rohit a bit on the other side, a bit more laid back, very cool, calm, collected customer, but with that sort of fight.
“I feel like, from my time knowing Shubman so far, he’ll be a bit in the middle. He’s obviously learned from those two guys … but he’ll be very much his own man.”
India play England in a five-match test series starting on Friday at Headingley, and Buttler said Gill will be in the spotlight.
“Kohli is the king, Shubman is the prince — that’s the narrative that they spin out there, and I feel that he’s the coming man,” said Buttler, who stepped down as England’s white-ball captain in February after their Champions Trophy exit.
“Stepping into that number four, it’s big shoes, isn’t it? Coming behind Virat, and Sachin Tendulkar before that as well. That’s obviously a huge role.”
