Gautam Gambhir Supports Shubman Gill After Exceptional ODI Knock Against England

February 13, 2025: Shubman Gill’s brilliant 112 off 102 balls in the final ODI against England in Ahmedabad has once again solidified his position as one of India’s most promising young cricketers.

His match-winning knock led India to a dominant 3-0 series win, and his outstanding performances throughout the series earned him the prestigious “Player of the Series” award. With 259 runs at an average of 86.33 and a strike rate of 103.60, Gill was the series’ top run-scorer, further cementing his reputation as a white-ball specialist.

Despite his remarkable success in limited-overs cricket, Gill’s form in Test matches has been a topic of scrutiny. In response to the criticism, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir came out in full support of the young batter. During the post-match press conference, Gambhir emphasized the importance of patience when it comes to evaluating young players.

He said, “Look, the problem is that we keep judging people after every inning. He’s still a young batter. He’s still 25. He’s got a great future ahead of him.” Gambhir acknowledged that while Test cricket is a tough format, Gill has shown his capabilities in it, and with the right backing, he could excel further.

“I hope that going forward, he can actually deliver in that format too. If someone can do it in 50-over cricket, why can’t he do it in Test cricket as well?” he added, praising Gill’s potential.

Gambhir also called for a change in approach, urging the cricketing fraternity to trust young players rather than judge them too harshly after every performance. “By judging a young cricketer after every inning, we’re not going to carry Indian cricket forward like that. You’ve got to start putting trust in these young players,” Gambhir stated.

He went on to highlight Gill’s young age and said, “He’s still 25. So, imagine what can happen in the next couple of years if we keep backing him and keep backing a lot of young cricketers in that dressing room.”

Gambhir’s message was clear: if India is to move forward successfully, it must trust and nurture its young players, especially someone as talented as Shubman Gill, who has proven time and again that he has the ability to shine on the big stage.