'He's still trying to find that balance' - World Cup winner assesses Shubman Gill's young captaincy career

Published - 14 Jan 2026, 18:41 IST | Updated - 14 Jan 2026, 18:56 IST

As India are 1-0 up in the ongoing three-match ODI series against New Zealand, legendary cricketer Zaheer Khan has come up with an honest assessment of their Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill’s current leadership, suggesting that the young captain is still in a learning phase and will get better with time.

Gill, who was appointed as India’s multi-format captain in 2025, has faced a mixed run of form and fitness, including a recent neck injury he suffered during the Tests against South Africa. Gill also suffered a minor leg injury before getting dropped from India's plans for the T20 World Cup 2026. While he has shown some flashes of brilliance with the bat, the India great believes the right-hand batter still has a long way to go.

Even though he started slow, the Punjab batter scored 56 off 71 balls, chasing a mammoth total of 301 runs. Zaheer assessed the 26-year-old’s approach, further adding that despite the youngster still being in the learning phase, he looks more than ready for the role and will eventually get enough maturity as a natural leader.

“The international level always brings pressure. That's something you don't have an escape from. You have to find the balance because the scrutiny, criticism, and appreciation are all part of the game. It's also the standard he has set for himself by being so consistent. He has been made captain with a lot of hope of taking this team forward. He's still trying to find that balance," said Zaheer via Cricbuzz.

“What's nice about him is that he's very driven and looks ready for this kind of role. Considering he was lacking game time with his recent injury, it was okay to take a little bit of time. What matters is the runs under his belt and the consistency," the veteran fast bowler concluded.

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The former left-arm pacer also backed the returning Shreyas Iyer as India’s long-term No. 4 in the 50-over format. Zaheer, India's highest wicket-taker in the 2011 World Cup, said that the Mumbai cricketer has all the skills required for a quality middle-order batter.

“He (Iyer) has been delivering for the team and the numbers speak for themselves. He has the ability to put spinners under pressure, which a No.4 has to have. Shreyas has the ability to up the tempo if the start is good. He has also figured out his game with regard to short deliveries. All of this makes him a real good choice for No. 4," said Zaheer.