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Rathour first noticed Gill’s potential during net sessions and was immediately struck by the youngster’s talent.Speaking to The Indian Express, he recalled his initial impression: “When I first saw him in the nets, my first impression was like everybody else’s. I saw exactly what a lot of people were talking about and spoke about his special talent. When I first saw him playing, the immediate thought that went into my mind was ‘wow, this kid is extremely talented’. He knew his game, he understood how he needs to bat in different situations and never shied away from challenges.”
At 24, Gill has established himself as a remarkable player across formats, especially noted for an outstanding run in ODIs in 2023. In 29 matches, he amassed 1584 runs, maintaining an average of 63.36.
Rathour believes that taking on captaincy will enhance Gill’s performance, similar to how it benefited Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
He expressed confidence that leadership responsibilities could bring out the best in Gill: “I feel captaincy brought the best out of Virat and Rohit and I feel it will do the same for Shubman. Although he is not yet the captain, being in the leadership group will bring the best out of him as well. This, I am very sure of. When you are in that role, leading others, it gives you that extra bit of responsibility, which is good and I think is great for a young kid like Shubman, who one day might lead India in all three formats.”
Gill recently led India to a 4-1 T20I series victory against Zimbabwe, providing him with valuable captaincy experience. His leadership potential has also been recognized with his appointment as vice-captain for both T20Is and ODIs.
As Shubman Gill continues to evolve as a cricketer, Rathour’s confidence in his leadership abilities suggests that Gill could become a key figure in India’s cricketing future, potentially leading the team across all formats.
