Former India wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik has revealed a similarity in mindsets of Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill. Kohli, despite being hailed as one of India’s finest Test batters, told Karthik that becoming captain gave him more satisfaction than anything else in his career. Interestingly, Gill, who has just begun his journey as India’s Test captain, echoed similar thoughts during a private chat with Karthik.
Virat Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket came as a shock to many. He hung up his boots just before India’s five-match Test series against England. It was the final chapter of a decorated Test career that saw him transform India into a formidable force at home and abroad. Kohli had earlier relinquished the Test captaincy in January 2023.
With Rohit Sharma also retiring around the same time, the selectors turned to a new generation and named 25-year-old Shubman Gill as India’s next Test captain. The England series was to be his first real test at the helm. Dubbed the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, the five-match series has already seen its share of drama. The series currently stands level at 1-1 after the first two Tests.
Dinesh Karthik Recalls Virat Kohli’s Love for Test Captaincy, Sees Shubman Gill Walking the Same Path
Karthik shared that during a recent interaction with Virat Kohli, the former India captain opened up about what Test leadership meant to him and how it brought the best out of him.
"You spoke about Virat Kohli. I met him a few days ago, and this talk about captaincy came up. He said, 'People think, I’m a great Test cricketer. I enjoyed my Test batting, which I did, but the fact is that getting my captaincy was the best thing to happen in my life.' Why I am saying this is that the same line was used by Shubman Gill," Karthik said as quoted on the Sky Cricket podcast.
Karthik said this reminded him of a similar conversation he had with Gill, shortly after the youngster took over as India’s Test captain.
"He said 'I used to bat differently, but now that I’ve got captaincy, I almost think this is what my team requires, rather than me wanting to do something individually as a batter.' I said wow, this is something for which the world of cricket has to take notice. Here is a man who has the appetite, he’s got the skill, he’s got the technique, but now he’s got the mindset as well. I’m the captain, I’m going to lead from the front, lead off the front foot," Karthik added.
Shubman Gill Dominates With the Bat in Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy
If there were any doubts about Gill’s readiness to lead, his numbers in the current series have silenced them all. He is the highest-scorer in the series so far and has amassed 585 runs in just two Tests at an average of 146.25. He has already scored two centuries and a double-hundred.
His performance at Edgbaston in the second Test was historic. Gill's 269 in the first innings and 161 in the second gave India a commanding 336-run victory as the visitors levelled the series in emphatic fashion.
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