With news of Gill replacing Rohit as India’s next and 37th Test captain, the entire Gill family experienced a wave of joy and delight. The Times of India reported “Back in his village, his 88-year-old grandfather Didar Singh is distributing sweets and has only one thing to say about his dearest Shubi, ‘Waheguru ji dee kirpa (God is great).'” However, it’s Gill’s cousin and former India batter Gurkeerat Singh Mann who aptly explains how the family’s dearest ‘Shubhi’ was destined for greatness from a young age.

“A generational talent to lead the next generation. With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma gone and retired, he is the right choice to carry the baton forward. He has this insatiable appetite for improvement, and I am sure he will do a good job for India in the whites. Win or lose, duck or a century, he wil swiftly get over that knock. It is always the next game, then the next game,” Mann tells Times of India.

‘Shubman Gill will prosper as India captain’

Gill’s task at hand is a tough one. India play a five-Test series against England starting June 20, a country where the captain himself is short on experience. He’s played just two Tests in England, the rescheduled fifth Test from the 2021 series where he scored 21, and the second WTC final against Australia at the Oval, scoring 31. Despite Gill’s overseas record reading a concerning 649 runs from 13 matches, Mann is confident that his cousin will pass the test of captaincy with flying colours.

“I have seen him from a young age. He was someone whose batting the senior team players used to watch. You would pay to watch him bat. Right from his, U-16 days, he was been a standout performer. He prepares a lot before every match. He reads the pitch and conditions really well. He never gets satisfied and is always in the match, even when he is not on the field. He anticipates a lot. Even when he came to play for the Punjab senior team, he was not afraid to share his views with the captain,” he adds.