Former Indian pacer and current commentator Varun Aaron added a touch of humour while discussing the pressures of captaincy in Indian cricket. Referring to the physical toll leadership takes, Aaron quipped that every Indian captain starts with a head full of black hair, but by the time they step down, it’s all salt and pepper. Taking the joke further, he cheekily hinted at some even dying their beards—clearly aimed at Virat Kohli, who recently made a witty remark about the same.

Aaron’s comments came while speaking about the rapid maturity and success of Shubman Gill, who has taken on the mantle of leadership in India’s Test side. With Kohli stepping away from the red-ball format, Gill has filled the No. 4 spot and the leadership void impressively. He’s already racked up three centuries and a double ton in this role, showcasing both class and composure under pressure.

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Varun Aaron said, “Shubman has come full circle. He’s captaining the Test team and has already scored more than 700 runs. He’s led from the front. This Test will define how his captaincy is remembered in the years to come.”

Meanwhile, Kohli, speaking at an event hosted by Yuvraj Singh in June, had his own light-hearted take on ageing. When asked about retirement, he laughed, “I coloured my beard two days ago. When you’re dyeing it every four days, you know it’s time.”

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Meanwhile, on the field, Shubman Gill’s leadership was on show again during a rain-hit session at The Oval. After the early wickets fell, he combined with Sai Sudharsan to bring calm to a tense situation. The duo added an unbeaten 34-run partnership, with Gill on 15* and Sudharsan on 25*, before rain forced an early lunch.

In both jest and performance, the generational shift in Indian cricket is well underway.