Shubman Gill will be up for Test captaincy challenge: Hayden backs India skipper
Matthew Hayden has backed Shubman Gill to handle the demands of India's Test captaincy. He also warned that India must improve in the longer format to stay on course for next June's World Test Championship final.
Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden has backed Shubman Gill to stand up to the challenge of leading India in the Test format. However, Hayden admitted that the team will have a lot to do if they want to reach the World Test Championship final.
Gill took over the reigns as India captain in 2025 before the England tour after the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. While the Indian skipper has shown great signs with the bat, the team has a mixed bag of results. Gill has won five out of his nine Tests in charge, losing three and drawing one.
Hayden worked with Gill during their time together with the Gujarat Titans and admitted that the Indian skipper has got more challenges to face in the coming years.
"I guess in many ways India as a cricketing nation has also had a brilliant captain in Shubman Gill. He has many challenges to face, none of which is more important than the survival of Test match cricket," Hayden told ANI.
Hayden felt that there needs to be work done by the team in the long-format but said that Gill is a wonderful young man and a good leader.
"And I feel India are in a much better position to continue their winning ways in the short formats, 50-over in particular, and T20 cricket, and they do have some work to do as most nations do in and around their Test and longer formats," he said.
"So I'm sure Shubman Gill will be up to that challenge. He's a wonderful young man and a good leader, and he's got a good team around him, albeit a team that's going to need to perform some younger players and some more experienced players. But they've got a job to do ahead of the World Test Championship final, which is in June next year," he added.
India will be facing Sri Lanka in a two-Test series, which will begin on August 15. Gill was able to shake off an injury scare during the warm-up match to be ready for the first Test in Galle.
Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden has backed Shubman Gill to stand up to the challenge of leading India in the Test format. However, Hayden admitted that the team will have a lot to do if they want to reach the World Test Championship final.
Gill took over the reigns as India captain in 2025 before the England tour after the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. While the Indian skipper has shown great signs with the bat, the team has a mixed bag of results. Gill has won five out of his nine Tests in charge, losing three and drawing one.
Hayden worked with Gill during their time together with the Gujarat Titans and admitted that the Indian skipper has got more challenges to face in the coming years.
"I guess in many ways India as a cricketing nation has also had a brilliant captain in Shubman Gill. He has many challenges to face, none of which is more important than the survival of Test match cricket," Hayden told ANI.
Hayden felt that there needs to be work done by the team in the long-format but said that Gill is a wonderful young man and a good leader.
"And I feel India are in a much better position to continue their winning ways in the short formats, 50-over in particular, and T20 cricket, and they do have some work to do as most nations do in and around their Test and longer formats," he said.
"So I'm sure Shubman Gill will be up to that challenge. He's a wonderful young man and a good leader, and he's got a good team around him, albeit a team that's going to need to perform some younger players and some more experienced players. But they've got a job to do ahead of the World Test Championship final, which is in June next year," he added.
India will be facing Sri Lanka in a two-Test series, which will begin on August 15. Gill was able to shake off an injury scare during the warm-up match to be ready for the first Test in Galle.
Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden has backed Shubman Gill to stand up to the challenge of leading India in the Test format. However, Hayden admitted that the team will have a lot to do if they want to reach the World Test Championship final.
Gill took over the reigns as India captain in 2025 before the England tour after the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. While the Indian skipper has shown great signs with the bat, the team has a mixed bag of results. Gill has won five out of his nine Tests in charge, losing three and drawing one.
Hayden worked with Gill during their time together with the Gujarat Titans and admitted that the Indian skipper has got more challenges to face in the coming years.
"I guess in many ways India as a cricketing nation has also had a brilliant captain in Shubman Gill. He has many challenges to face, none of which is more important than the survival of Test match cricket," Hayden told ANI.
Hayden felt that there needs to be work done by the team in the long-format but said that Gill is a wonderful young man and a good leader.
"And I feel India are in a much better position to continue their winning ways in the short formats, 50-over in particular, and T20 cricket, and they do have some work to do as most nations do in and around their Test and longer formats," he said.
"So I'm sure Shubman Gill will be up to that challenge. He's a wonderful young man and a good leader, and he's got a good team around him, albeit a team that's going to need to perform some younger players and some more experienced players. But they've got a job to do ahead of the World Test Championship final, which is in June next year," he added.
India will be facing Sri Lanka in a two-Test series, which will begin on August 15. Gill was able to shake off an injury scare during the warm-up match to be ready for the first Test in Galle.
