Gary Kirsten, who once coached India to a World Cup title, has given a piece of advice to the country's new Test captain, Shubman Gill. Kirsten said Gill has all the tools to be a successful leader but to reach that next level, he must learn how to manage people, just like MS Dhoni did so well during his time.
Gill is leading India for the first time in a Test series after Rohit Sharma retired from the format. While he has scored runs consistently, the team has struggled. India are now 2-1 down in the five-match series against England after losing the third Test at Lord’s.
The young skipper has done well with the bat. He has made 607 runs in three matches so far, which is the highest in the series so far, with centuries in Leeds and Birmingham. Shubman Gill registered daddy hundreds with scores of 147, 269 and 161. But at Lord’s, he could not get going and was dismissed cheaply in both innings.
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Gary Kirsten Wants Shubman Gill to Be a Man-Manager Like MS Dhoni
Kirsten and MS Dhoni had a strong partnership during their time together with the Indian team. That bond played a big role in India winning the 2011 World Cup after 28 years. Kirsten sees a similar opportunity for Gill to grow into a great captain if he focuses on handling players with care and understanding.
"Well, it's early days. I think he's got great potential. Captaincy is a whole lot of things that you've got to put together. He's a great thinker in the game. He's a good player himself. But there's a whole bunch of things you've got to get right. And I think man management is going to play, like any leader. Dhoni was an incredible man-manager. If he can get that component of his leadership really fired up, I think he has all the credentials to become a great captain for India," Kirsten said as quoted in an interview with Rediff.com.
Kirsten has also worked with Gill during the Indian Premier League (IPL). He was part of the coaching staff when Gill was named captain of the franchise. According to Kirsten, the youngster has made a positive start as a leader, but the next step is learning how to get the best out of each player, something Dhoni mastered.
India Lose at Lord’s, Series on the Line
India were chasing 193 at Lord’s but were bowled out for 170. They started the final day at 58/4 but early wickets gave England control.
Ravindra Jadeja put up a fight but he could not finish the job. India lost by 22 runs and now trail 2-1 in the series. The fourth Test will begin on July 23 at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester.
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