Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has come out in support of Shubman Gill’s captaincy, backing the youngster to lead a strong comeback in the fourth and final Test at Old Trafford, Manchester. With the series standing at 2-1 in England’s favour, Manjrekar believes Gill has shown admirable poise and leadership maturity despite the pressure of a high-profile away tour.

While the scoreboard may indicate India trailing, the competitiveness of the matches tells a different story. India’s narrow 22-run defeat at Lord’s is proof that Gill’s team has fought hard in challenging English conditions. Manjrekar believes this upcoming eight-day break is a blessing in disguise for the young skipper to recalibrate his tactics and approach.

“Gill is still early in his leadership journey, but what he’s shown already—both with the bat and as a captain—has been very promising,” said Sanjay Manjrekar during a conversation on JioHotstar. “His team has already won a Test, and that says something about how he’s managing things. This break will give him the space to reset.”

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He also touched upon the influence of Gill’s inner circle. “He has the right people around him. And I’m sure his father knows what kind of temperament Shubman has—whether he’s more like a Kohli or a Dhoni. Personally, I think he’s somewhere in between. He just needs to figure out his own style, one that doesn’t compromise either his batting or his captaincy.”

Reflecting on Shubman Gill’s progression through the series, Sanjay Manjrekar noted how the Punjab batter started by relying heavily on senior players like Rishabh Pant but gradually took more control.

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“In Manchester, after the setback at Headingley, I won’t be surprised if we see a far more assured Gill leading from the front.” India’s injury list continues to grow with Arshdeep Singh, Akash Deep, Nitish Reddy, and Rishabh Pant sidelined. Jasprit Bumrah, rested for workload management, is expected to return at Old Trafford, having already featured in the first and third Tests. With everything to play for, the final Test could define Gill’s early captaincy arc.