- June 21, 2025
Remember when Indian captains would carry their presence before they even took guard? When the snarls of Virat Kohli could be heard louder than the appeal, and the silence of MS Dhoni spoke confidence? That moment has passed, and there’s no going back. In comes Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant — two of the most talented, most talked about, and most TikTok-ified cricketers of this generation, of course, neither of them roar. They hum. They don’t sledge, they smile. And by many accounts, they have no aura.
But really, cricket leadership is no audition for Marvel. Gill and Pant may not have that Captain Martin-type look about them, but there is a reason for their mellowness, and a whole lot to prove beyond that.
The Weight of Expectations and the Bat
Let’s discuss statistics. Because when the memes have faded and Twitter discourse slows down, runs are what keep captains in business. Shubman Gill has the shots, style, and hype, but his Test numbers abroad are pretty terrible to date. In 11 appearances outside Asia and the Caribbean, his average stands at 25.7 with no centuries to his name. Not exactly a resume one would expect from a captain about to lead India in England.
But the context is important. He is 25, he has shown he can play white-ball cricket, and he has experience of being an IPL captain. Kohli was not exactly a Bradman when he was made captain – he had an average of just under 40, and many were sceptical he would reach the potential someone like him possessed. While Gill has been quieter in his pathway, it is not that different.
Rishabh Pant: Chaos, Care, and Cricketing Smarts
On the opposite side of the spectrum, Pant is anything but quiet. His rise to India’s Test MVP, from wildcard babysitter in Australia through to player of the series in South Africa, has been as unpredictable as his batting. But leading the team? That’s a different story. For starters, this isn’t the guy yelling at bowlers or micromanaging fielders. This is a cricketer who is all about feel and instinct, and he wants his team to be that way too.
He talks of validation, comfort, and freedom in the change room — ideas that would have sounded foreign in the Kohli era. But perhaps that’s what this team needs. Pant knows he will be evaluated not by his sing-alongs behind the stumps but by his runs, his reads, and how he reacts to the Bazball attack.
Bazball vs Blueprints: The Real Test Starts Now
This England series is no warm-up. It’s a fast-paced, every eye is on you, debut for Gill and Pant’s leadership duo. England’s Bazballers will come hard. India, without unit Bumrah for all five Tests, will need quick reflexes and clearer thinking to make bolder calls. It’s not about aura, it’s about answers — in selection, in tactics, and certainly in our batting.
The pitches in this Bazball era? More friendly for batting. The English attack (w/o Woakes)? Still trying to figure it out. The opportunity? Huge. If Gill and Pant can deliver here, the aura stuff will be forgotten quicker than a TikTok ban in Delhi.
No, Gill doesn’t have Kohli’s snarl. And Pant might never be confused with Dhoni. But they don’t need to be. This is a new time, a new team and a different vibe altogether. They do not need aura — they need authority, earned through performances.
So, will India’s modest new leaders produce the noise that matters? Or will the weight of legacy become too heavy to sing in their key? The next few Tests will reveal more than any stump mic did.
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