​Virat Kohli reveals what he sees in Shubman Gill that can make him a long-term India captain originally appeared on Cricket News.
Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.KEY TAKEAWAYS:India ace Virat Kohli backs Shubman Gill’s captaincy credentials, praising his intensity and long-term leadership qualities.Kohli highlights Gill’s tactical clarity and his knack for staying one step ahead of opponents.The endorsement arrives as India rebuilds leadership ahead of a long-awaited 2027 World Cup push.Virat Kohli delivers huge endorsement on Shubman Gill’s future as India captainVirat Kohli showered lavish praise on Shubman Gill before India begins their ODI series against the West Indies at Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. Gill might not have reached the kind of global standing Kohli or Rohit Sharma command just yet. Give it time, though, as he’s already holding two of the biggest leadership posts in Indian cricket, steering both the Test and ODI sides.It’s a shift that fits neatly into India’s broader rebuild as they look toward 2027, a World Cup campaign carrying the weight of a sixteen-year title drought.Kohli sat down with JioStar and didn’t hold back on his thoughts about the young skipper, touching on everything from mindset to match-craft.“Shubman, the captain, is still learning. He is still young in the role, but he has got the right perspective and the right kind of intensity to lead the Indian team,” Kohli said.MORE: Who are India’s opponents in Asian Games 2026 men’s quarter-final?What stood out most for Kohli wasn’t flashy captaincy moves, but it was the clarity Gill brings to his planning, something Kohli reckons only sharpens further with time on the job.”He (Gill) has got his plans very clear in terms of how he looks at us operating in the field. Of course, with more experience and understanding situations, the kind of calls you take are things that he will keep working on and improving, which everyone does in a leadership role.”For Kohli, though, one quality mattered above all else: the hunger to do the job properly, not just occupy the role.”He has got the desire to lead the Indian cricket team in the right way, which is the most important factor. So, I see him leading for a long time, and he will be absolutely fine,” he added.Kohli went further still, pointing to Gill’s ability to read the game and outthink opponents on the field; a trait he clearly rates highly in a captain.”He thinks of ways to get batters out in the field, which is always a sign of doing something different or staying a step ahead. He is not shy to use different kinds of fields, put guys under pressure, communicate the same to the bowlers, and bring in a certain kind of bowling attack,” Kohli said.MORE: Ex-cricket administrator in disbelief over Pandya’s availability for IPL but not India BCCI/Creimas Gill’s own words show respect runs both waysThis mutual admiration isn’t new, either. Back before the series against A