Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar has backed Shubman Gill to become one of the country’s most successful captains. He said that Gill holds the format quite close to his heart, so he can do well for India. With the BCCI selecting the squad for the five-match Test tour of England, Gill succeeded the retired Rohit Sharma in the captaincy role.

Speaking to India Today, Gavaskar said, “It’s a good selection because we’re looking to the future. Yes, you might argue that he has only played 30-odd Tests, but several Indian captains had even fewer matches under their belts before being handed the reins – and many went on to enjoy long tenures.”

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“When you look at Shubman Gill as a cricketer, you see the seriousness with which he approaches the game. He holds this format very close to his heart. So, there is every reason to believe he could become one of India’s most successful Test captains,” he further added.

He has also asked fans to be patient, saying that young players and captains must be given many opportunities to succeed as well.

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“Definitely, yes. Nobody is an instant success. You have to give youngsters enough opportunities to succeed. After giving them four or five matches in a row, you can then decide whether they are good enough or not. Likewise with captains – you can’t judge them on one series. You have to give them a whole season leading India, and only then look at how they’ve coped with the responsibility,” Sunil Gavaskar concluded.