NEW DELHI: India head coach Gautam Gambhir heaped praise on Shubman Gill’s leadership following their 2-0 Test series sweep against West Indies at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.
The seven-wicket victory was the perfect birthday gift for Gambhir, who turned 44, at his home ground where the former India batter has a stand named after him.
Gill’s captaincy received a baptism of fire when he led the side out for the first time in a five-match series in England, which India split 2-2 despite the Test retirements of former skippers Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
“I think he’s already passed his toughest Test as a Test captain and that was in England,” Gambhir said of Gill, who has since assumed the captaincy of the one-day squad as well.
“Five Test matches over a course of two-and-a-half months, against a quality England side, against an intimidating batting lineup and leading an inexperienced Indian team. What more could he have faced?”
Gill amassed 754 runs in the five-Test series in England, and struck his fifth Test hundred of the year in the series finale against West Indies.
Gambhir said his only advice to Gill has been, “Just be himself”.
“No one has done him a favour by appointing him the Test and one-day captain. I think he deserves every bit of it.
“He’s worked hard and he ticks all the boxes… what more can a coach ask for?” he added.
The 26-year-old enjoyed the respect of the dressing room, which includes several senior players, because of his form and approach to the game, Gambhir said.
Gill’s West Indies counterpart Roston Chase said it was not all doom and gloom for his side, who were blanked 3-0 at home by Australia in their previous Test series.
After suffering an innings defeat inside three days of the series opener in Ahmedabad and being made to follow-on in Delhi, the visitors batted well in the second innings with hundreds from John Campbell and Shai Hope helping them post 390 all out after nearly 119 overs.
“I think this is a stepping stone, a building step for us to go forward and improve as a Test playing nation,” said Chase.
“This is the performance that I think will give us the confidence and boost us in terms of that belief that we can do it against proper Test playing nations.”
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