Shubman Gill led India to a 2-0 Test clean sweep over the West Indies
Skipper emphasises importance of developing players for overseas tours
He acknowledges the value of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's experience
India captain Shubman Gill stated his commitment to making "bold decisions" to get the best from his players. He led the side to a 2-0 clean sweep against the West Indies following a seven-wicket win in the second Test at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on Tuesday (October 14, 2025).
Elaborating on his decision-making process, Gill noted that sometimes an 'X factor' player contributes significantly. "I try to make the most probable decision in the given situation that we're in that game.
"And sometimes you have to take a little bit of bold decisions and that X factor, depending on which player can get you certain runs or can get you those wickets."
The 26-year-old acknowledged his evolving leadership. "I enjoy responsibility. I like to be the guy out there, and I do it my way. Being involved in some of the key decisions is something that I really like, and I think it brings out the best in me. I think that's what's happening in my life.
"I would say I am kind of getting used to it, managing all the players in this side," he added.
Gill's Decisions And Batting Focus
The right-handed batter addressed questions regarding the decision to enforce a follow-on against the West Indies. He dismissed criticism about potential strain on bowlers, maintaining that the conditions demanded the call.
The team found itself "around 300 runs ahead", and the wicket was "quite dead". "We thought even if we scored like 500 runs and we have to get 6 or 7 wickets on day 5, it could be a tough day for us, so that was the thought process," Gill explained.
The skipper, who hit a century and a fifty during the two-match Test series, separates his batting and captaincy roles.
"Batting is something that I've grown up doing since I was 3 or 4 years old. So when I go out there (to bat), I just want to make decisions as a batsman," he told 'JioStar'.
He elaborated, "The one thing that you always fight for is how can you make your team win a match. And as a batsman, when I'm going out there, that's the only thought that I have."
On seam-bowling all-rounder Nitish Reddy's promotion to number five in the batting order, Gill said, "He didn't really get to bowl any over in this match but we don't want players to only play matches at overseas. That puts a lot of pressure on the players. We want to groom certain players that we think can help us win matches overseas because that's been the challenge for us."
Leading Senior Players In Australia ODIs
Shubman Gill prepares to captain veteran players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the forthcoming three-match One Day International (ODI) series against Australia, which commences this Sunday. India have performed strongly in ODIs over the past few years.
"I think we have been playing one of our best in ODIs in past 2-3 years. Nothing changes for us. It's more or less the same team that we're playing," he remarked.
Kohli and Sharma possess vast experience, a fact Gill acknowledges.
"They have won so many matches for us in the past. They've been playing for India for the past 10-15 years. Winning matches for us is an experience that we bring to the table. It's something every captain of every team wants," he asserted. "That's what we're looking forward to. We just want them to go out there and do their magic."
Talking about managing multiple formats, Gill said, "That was new for me. But I think going back to the basics of a particular format is something that I think works for me. It's something (the basics) that I go back to."
The Punjab player currently holds the position of vice-captain for India's T20 International side.
