Sunil Gavaskar’s frank assessment after India captain Shubman Gill belts three centuries in three weeks

Sunil Gavaskar comes up with a very candid take on Shubman Gill's scorching form with the bat.

Updated on: Jun 18, 2026, 16:05:58 IST

Written by Aditya Bhattacharya

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What a spectacular 21 days it has been for Shubman Gill. The India captain has been in red-hot form, smashing three centuries in his last five innings. On May 29, Gill bludgeoned the Rajasthan Royals bowling attack in IPL 2026 Qualifier 2 before following it up with his 11th Test century in the one-off game against Afghanistan. Then, after guiding India to a seven-wicket win in the rain-marred ODI at Dharamsala with an unbeaten 85, Gill plundered a mammoth 154 to knock the stuffing out of the Afghans in the hot, sweltering conditions of Lucknow. Three weeks, three centuries. Gill is on a roll.

Shubman Gill with his trademark celebration against Afghanistan (Agencies)

Reacting to Gill's masterclass, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar was delighted to see the batter making the most of his captaincy responsibilities. Leading a team either brings out the best in a player or the worst. There is nothing in between, and fortunately for India, it has brought out the very best in Gill, with the 26-year-old continuing to make merry.

Also Read: Ishan Kishan's second coming; century forces India to rethink its World Cup blueprint

"When you're not getting runs, you're not confident about making those marginal moves that come from your gut feel, like holding back a bowler who has bowled well, giving him an extra over, or moving a fielder from a certain position. That gut feel is a lot stronger when you're personally performing. But if you're not performing, even when you get a gut feel, you're apprehensive about making that call because you're worried about getting it wrong. Since you're also not performing as a player, you'll be criticised for your captaincy as well," Gavaskar said on JioStar's 'Cricket Live' show.

Brar impresses Gavaskar too

Besides Gill, Ishan Kishan starred with the bat, scoring 125, and together, their double-century partnership played a huge role in India putting over 400 runs on the board. Later, with the ball, the two rookie pacers Gurnoor Brar and Prince Yadav, made quite the impact, sharing five wickets to bundle Afghanistan for 232. Gavaskar was high on praise for Brar, in particular, highlighting the traits he brings to the table.

"His run-up is so good, his rhythm is so good, he was hitting the deck and getting the ball to climb. The wicket he got of Gurbaz was particularly impressive because of the way that bouncer followed him. It's very accurate. It comes right at you, exactly where the batter does not want it. I think the selection committee deserves all the compliments. If you look at his stats, or his India A performances, they're okay, but not to the extent where you would say he deserved an India cap. However, the selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, saw something in him, and that's why they picked him. He's also been backed by the management, which is so important,” added the former India captain.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aditya Bhattacharya
Aditya Bhattacharya is the Sports Editor at Hindustan Times Digital, with close to 15 years of experience in sports journalism. Over the course of his career, he has worked with leading media organisations including Cricbuzz, The Times of India, Network18 and Zee. Primarily a cricket writer, Aditya has covered several marquee events, including the 2016 ICC World T20, the 2019 ICC World Cup in England and the 2023 World Cup in India. His reporting portfolio also includes international cricket across England, South Africa and New Zealand, along with forays into tennis, including coverage of the Australian Open. He has interviewed several prominent athletes across sports. Aditya began his career with a brief stint at CricketNext before getting his first major break at Cricbuzz, where he was part of the Times Network’s startup venture GoCricket, which later merged with Cricbuzz. After nearly 18 months there, he moved to The Times of India, covering his first World Cup assignment and reporting first-hand on landmark moments such as Virat Kohli’s iconic innings against Australia in Mohali. During his three-year tenure, he played a key role in both reporting and desk operations and was recognised as TOI Employee of the Quarter in 2016. He later joined Zee, where he covered the 2019 World Cup across five venues in England—an assignment he considers a career highlight. At Hindustan Times, Aditya’s leadership came to the fore as he was promoted to lead the sports team within 18 months. Under his stewardship, the section has delivered extensive coverage of global sporting events, including the IPL, Olympics, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. In 2024, he was named HT DigiStar of the Year. Aditya continues to adapt to the evolving digital publishing landscape, with a sharp focus on search and audience engagement. Outside work, he occasionally plays the guitar and remains an avid gamer.Read More

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