Gautam Gambhir has warned Shubman Gill right before the India vs Australia ODI series. Why? Because the head coach knows exactly what kind of storm lies ahead.
During a chat on JioHotstar, Gambhir said, "It's still very early days - he has captained only a few Test matches so far. The most important quality I see is his ability to handle pressure and tough situations. Gill is very much a work in progress; he hasn't yet faced the worst days of captaincy, which will inevitably come. It will test him personally and as a leader and I want to see how he responds when things don't go his way."
Australia isn’t the kind of place you just go and win easily. Do you know how many Indian captains have ever won an ODI series there? Just one. Many would assume it was MS Dhoni, but that’s actually wrong. Yes, India did win under Dhoni’s captaincy in 2008, but that was a tri-series, not a bilateral one.
The truth is, Virat Kohli remains the only Indian captain to win a bilateral ODI series Down Under. Remember that 3-match series in 2019? After losing the first match, India bounced back to win the next two and made history.
So, Gambhir’s warning isn’t misplaced. But for a young captain like Gill, this is not just a massive challenge, it’s also a golden opportunity. Because if he manages to win here, his name will be mentioned alongside India’s legendary captains.
Gambhir further said, "I've told him I'm always here to support, back, and protect him. My role as coach is to take the pressure and criticism off his shoulders, as long as he does the right things for the team and remains transparent and honest with the players inside the dressing room. That is the foundation for earning respect.
"So far, he has been absolutely brilliant—transparent, upfront, hardworking, and focused on doing the right things. What more can a coach ask of a captain who is willing to put everything on the line?”
"I vividly remember that first conversation with him as captain. We told him bluntly that we had thrown him into a deep sea—either he would drown or become a world-class swimmer. Those 750 runs in England? They didn't matter so much to me; whether he scored them on the next tour or this one, it was the way he handled himself under pressure that mattered most. Leading a young team against a quality England side, I think he faced the toughest test of his captaincy. Regardless of how long he leads—whether two months or ten years—this was a defining challenge.
"After the Oval Test, which we won, I told him he had passed his most difficult test—that the transition was complete and things would now become smoother. I sincerely hope it is so, because he truly deserves it. Many unfair things have been said about him, but I believe we often judge players on potential and expectations—like a 24 or 25-year-old making a 50-plus Test average and scoring everywhere. That takes time, and he had the potential.
"I wasn't shocked he made 700-750 runs, but I was more impressed with his leadership. Throughout those 25 days of intense cricket, I never saw even a flicker of frustration or pressure on his face. He led with a smile, under immense pressure, and he truly deserves every bit of success now and in the future—because everyone involved in that journey deserves it," he concluded.
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