(Source X)
Former Team India batting coach Vikram Rathour has voiced his support for the selectors and team management’s choice of appointing Shubman Gill as the vice-captain for both the T20I and ODI squads.
The decision, announced during the squad reveal for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour, surprised many who expected more experienced candidates like Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, or Rishabh Pant to be front-runners for the role.
Despite the initial surprise surrounding Gill’s appointment, Rathour expressed his confidence in the decision. He highlighted Gill’s impressive leadership qualities and cited instances where Gill exhibited excellent ‘body language’ while captaining teams in the past.
Rathour firmly believes that Gill has the potential to excel in this new responsibility, endorsing the BCCI’s judgment in selecting him as the vice-captain.
“Whatever I have seen him, be it for the Gujarat Titans or in Zimbabwe (when Gill led in a T20 series), he did a good job. He has shown terrific body language, which is a must if you are leading a side. Now with the vice-captaincy, the BCCI has given him extra responsibility and I am sure he will thrive in this role, ” Rathour told The Indian Express.
Vikram Rathour was impressed when Shubman Gill departed
Expanding on the topic, Vikram Rathour also recounted a compelling anecdote that underscored Shubman Gill’s maturity and selflessness. Rathour recalled an incident from last year’s West Indies tour when Gill voluntarily moved down the batting order to accommodate Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top, a decision that resonated with Rathour’s admiration for Gill’s team-first approach.
“The talk came from him. He felt that No 3 was an ideal position for him to bat and the management group backed him. It was his decision which was backed by Rahul, myself and Rohit, and he turned it around in the England series,” Rathour said.
“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 the first time I saw him playing, the immediate thought that went into my mind was ‘whoa this kid is extremely talented’.
“What impressed me the most was his game awareness, which is something you don’t generally see in the young cricketers, who are coming through the ranks. He knew his game, he understood how he needs to bat in different situations and never shied away from challenges,” he added.
Rathour suggested that the new responsibilities could be a catalyst for Gill’s growth. Drawing parallels, he pointed out how leadership roles had elevated the performances of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, implying a potential similar effect on Gill. Rathour expressed confidence in Gill’s ability to eventually lead India across all formats, highlighting his potential for future captaincy.
“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 is I am very sure off.
“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,” said Rathour.
Meanwhile, India’s upcoming schedule includes a series of three T20Is and three ODIs against Sri Lanka. The T20I series is set to commence on July 27 in Pallekele.
