Shubman Gill’s Captaincy Under Review After Kolkata Defeat: ‘Gill Has It In Him To…’ | Cricket News

Shubman Gill has been playing non-stop cricket this year (Picture credit: AFP)

Former India cricketer Abhinav Mukund has said that while Shubman Gill has it in him to become an all-format captain, the pressure on him is too much at the moment and India should consider split captaincy. While other cricketers were rotated across formats, Gill remained a mainstay, returning for the home series opener against South Africa, where the accumulated workload took its toll.

On Day 2 at Eden Gardens, Gill was struck by neck spasms and had to be hospitalised, ruling him out for the rest of the game. Without their Test captain, India were bundled out for just 93 while chasing 124, permitting South Africa to claim a 30-run victory.

Speaking on The Great Indian Cricket Show on Doordarshan, Mukund requested the BCCI to rethink their plan to appoint Gill as India’s all-format captain, warning that the pressure on the young batter has reached a breaking point.

Mukund sent a clear message to Ajit Agarkar & Co., advocating for split captaincy.

“I think Shubman has it in him to become an all-format captain, but I don’t think India should have an all-format captain anymore. Split captaincy is a smart move. Shubman Gill has been given the responsibility to take on the mantle in Tests and he will be under big pressure,” Mukund said. 

“This is a crucial series and the England series was a big confidence booster for India,” Mukund added.

In October, Gill was appointed India’s new ODI skipper with an eye on the 2027 World Cup, sparking speculation that the BCCI might hand him T20I captaincy as well after the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Gill had been reinstated as vice-captain in the shortest format two months ago, ahead of the Asia Cup.

In the latest update, Gill was discharged from the hospital on Sunday, November 16, after India’s loss in the opening Test. The team management has, however, not yet confirmed whether he will feature in the second Test, with South Africa aiming for just their second series victory over India at the latter’s home.