India’s Test captain Shubman Gill disclosed that he leaned on the wisdom of two cricketing greats, Sachin Tendulkar and Steve Smith, before embarking on his maiden Test assignment as captain in England. The young skipper went on to enjoy a spectacular series, piling up 754 runs across five Tests at an average of 75.40 with four centuries.
Gill, speaking to Hotstar, explained how the pressure of performing overseas had been weighing on him, but he felt assured due to his preparation and mindset.
“There was pressure of not doing well outside India. But I was feeling very confident in terms of my practice, mentally, and what positions I was getting into,” Gill said.
When asked whether he sought out advice from anyone before the series, Gill admitted he had consulted both Sachin Tendulkar and Australia’s Steve Smith.
“I spoke to Sachin Sir and also took the (phone) number from Matthew Wade (who played with Gill in the IPL team) and spoke to Steve Smith. Both said the same thing: defend straight and score square,” Gill revealed.
Tendulkar’s specific technical advice
Tendulkar had also shared his insights prior to the first Test, suggesting what Gill needed to work on to counter his vulnerability on the front foot.
“80% of the time or even more, most batters are dismissed on that front foot,” Tendulkar said. “Back foot, unless it’s an obvious weakness, is less. The key to solving this is to focus a lot on getting on the front foot, having that nice stride on the front foot and defending well. Driving is only an extension of that. If he [Shubman] can keep it straight and do that, it will help him,” he told The Indian Express.
Tendulkar’s Advice
Tendulkar explained further that Gill’s real challenge would be to resist playing at deliveries that did not merit the drive.
“When the length is closer to you, then the hands automatically are going to go. But his challenge is not to let the hands go when the length is not there to be driven … To start with, he has to play in the V, just like our coaches used to tell us. As that would help him to also leave the balls [not just deal with nipbackers] because when focusing on playing in the V, your eyeline and your body setup is different. So, I would like him initially to stay side on and move forward if the ball is pitched up,” Tendulkar added.
How Tendulkar and Smith’s guidance helped
Applying the combined advice of Tendulkar and Smith, Gill worked extensively on his footwork and body positioning. Observers noticed a distinct change in his batting during the England series. He was more positive in his front-foot movement, disciplined in defending straight, side-on at setup, and less inclined to flash his hands at the ball when the length was not right for driving.
This refined approach, coupled with rigorous training before and throughout the series, allowed Gill not only to overcome a long-standing weakness but also to lead from the front with the bat. The series marked a golden start to his tenure as Test captain and showcased how the mentorship of two modern legends translated into career-defining results.
Shubman Gill led team is now playing a two match home Test series against West Indies starting from October 2nd.
Squads
India Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill(c), N Jagadeesan, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel(w), Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Devdutt Padikkal, Nitish Kumar Reddy
West Indies Squad: John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Alick Athanaze, Brandon King, Roston Chase(c), Shai Hope(w), Justin Greaves, Khary Pierre, Johann Layne, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales, Jomel Warrican, Jediah Blades, Kevlon Anderson, Tevin Imlach