21 July 2025 : Batting great Sunil Gavaskar has compared Shubman Gill’s captaincy traits to those of other Indian captains who have led India to Test series wins on English soil. Talking about India’s rare Test series triumphs in England — under Ajit Wadekar in 1971, Kapil Dev in 1986, and Rahul Dravid in 2007, Gavaskar identified distinctive traits tying these captains together – calm, composed leadership. Meanwhile, under Shubman’s captaincy, India have given a tough fight to England so far in the series but they are still trailing 1-2 after the first three Tests and now raring to bounce back in the last two matches.
Gavaskar noted that all three captains possessed a calm and composed demeanour, a trait he believes played a key role in guiding India to those memorable series victories in England.
“It might be pertinent to note that India have won a Test series in England only thrice. In 1971 under Ajit Wadekar, in 1986 under Kapil Dev and in 2007 under Rahul Dravid. All three were the coolest skippers one could ever hope for. The laconic style of Wadekar, the rip roaring yet controlled style of Kapil and the intense and thoughtful method of Dravid,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-day.
‘Shubman Gill in Birmingham looked like an amalgam of these three
Gill took over the captaincy after Rohit Sharma’s sudden retirement from the Test format. Ahead of the series, many were questioning his batting technique in the red-ball format. Though he’s answered those doubts with the bat with a double century and a couple of centuries, his ability to lead the side is still under watch, as the young skipper works to establish himself in this new role.
Gavaskar asserted that Guill looked like an amalgam of Wadekar, Kapil, and Dravid in Birmingham, where India registered an emphatic win by leading from the front.
“Not once did these three ever get excited whatever the situation and that calm certainty was infectious. Shubman Gill in Birmingham looked like an amalgam of these three. Intense and iconic while scoring a double century and a century, rip roaring as well as thoughtful as his bowlers ran through the England batting in both the innings,” he added.
Summary:
Sunil Gavaskar likened Shubman Gill’s calm and composed leadership to that of Ajit Wadekar, Kapil Dev, and Rahul Dravid—India’s only captains who’ve won Test series in England.