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Irfan Pathan: Dravid's Lesson Fuels Gill's Rise
2 Jan
Summary
- Gill's leadership role and performance grew significantly.
- He achieved a historic Test series with 754 runs in England.
- Comparisons to Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar are emerging.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has drawn a direct line from Rahul Dravid's mentorship to Shubman Gill's current trajectory. Pathan recalled Dravid's advice early in his career about preparing for tougher challenges ahead. He believes Gill is undergoing a similar growth process, particularly with his recent captaincy roles.
Gill's early 2025 saw consistent ODI performances leading to India's Champions Trophy win. However, his leadership in the Test series in England proved pivotal. With senior players absent, Gill captained the team, amassing a remarkable 754 runs across five Tests, including four centuries and a personal best of 269.
Pathan acknowledged the inevitable comparisons to batting greats like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, stating Gill possesses the talent and shot range to handle such expectations. While acknowledging a dip in Gill's T20I form in 2025, Pathan views these challenges as integral to his development as a cricketer ready to learn and embrace responsibility.
