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Gill reveals how advice from Tendulkar and Smith inspired his stunning ENG series

Rajgeeta Yadav

Shubman Gill reveals [Source: AFP and @MDRaju_Live/X.com]Shubman Gill reveals [Source: AFP and @MDRaju_Live/X.com]

Shubman Gill’s England tour will be remembered for a long time. Not only did he shine as a batter, but he also proved himself as a leader. Many people had doubts about whether Gill was ready to captain the Indian Test team, especially in tough English conditions. But he silenced the critics with a record-breaking series that ended in a 2-2 draw.

What made his performance even more inspiring was the fact that Gill himself had doubts before stepping into the role. To prepare better, he reached out to three of the game’s biggest names, Sachin Tendulkar, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson, for advice.

Shubman Gill seeks wisdom from legends

In an interview, Gill revealed that he called Sachin and Smith before the tour. Both legends gave him similar advice:

“I talked with Sachin Tendulkar and Steven Smith before the England tour, both advised me defend straight and score square.”

The Times of India report also suggest that Gill had a calm chat with Smith and Williamson, but when it came to speaking with Tendulkar, nerves got the better of him. He admitted that he was shivering before the call with Tendulkar, showing just how much he respects his idol.

"Sachin sir bol rahe hain toh galat kaise ho sakta hai (If Sachin Tendulkar is saying it, then something is seriously wrong in my technique — he can’t be wrong)," Gill said to people in his very close circles.

The guidance clearly worked wonders. Over the five-Test series, Gill scored a jaw-dropping 754 runs at an average of 75.40. He smashed four centuries, including a special double hundred at Edgbaston, where he scored 269 in one innings and 161 in the other. 

Notably, Gill’s run tally broke several records. He went past Sunil Gavaskar’s long-standing record for the most runs by an Indian captain in a Test series. He also became the first Asian batter to score more than 700 runs in a Test series played in England. At one stage, he was even close to challenging Don Bradman’s all-time record of 974 runs in a single Test series.