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India's ace batter Virat Kohli backed ODI and Test skipper Shubman Gill to lead India for a long time, saying the young captain has the right perspective, intensity and desire to lead the side in the right way.
Speaking to JioStar ahead of India's first ODI against the West Indies, Kohli praised Gill's approach to leadership and highlighted his willingness to think differently and stay a step ahead while making decisions on the field. "Shubman, the captain, is still learning. He is still young in the role, but he has got the right perspective and the right kind of intensity to lead the Indian team. He thinks of ways to get batters out in the field, which is always a sign of doing something different or staying a step ahead. He is not shy to use different kinds of fields, put guys under pressure, communicate the same to the bowlers, and bring in a certain kind of bowling attack," said Kohli, according to JioStar. Gill took over as India's Test captain in 2025 and subsequently became the ODI captain as the team began building towards the 2027 ODI World Cup. The 27-year-old has already led India to notable results in Test cricket, including a 336-run victory over England at Edgbaston in 2025, while also producing a prolific run of form during his maiden Test series as captain. Gill has played 67 ODIs and 43 Tests, scoring more than 3,000 runs in both formats, while averaging above 60 in ODI cricket. Kohli, who led Indian men's cricket team from 2014 to 2022 across formats, praised Gill for his clear plans for the game and said, "He has got his plans very clear in terms of how he looks at us operating in the field. Of course, with more experience and understanding situations, the kind of calls you take are things that he will keep working on and improving, which everyone does in a leadership role." "But he has got the desire to lead the Indian cricket team in the right way, which is the most important factor. So, I see him leading for a long time, and he will be absolutely fine," Kohli added, as per JioStar. The first ODI of India's three-match series against the West Indies will be played at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. The series will also mark the return of ODI specialists Rohit Sharma and Kohli to India's colours. Kohli has scored 14,941 runs in 314 ODIs at an average of 58.59, including 54 centuries and 79 fifties. India will be looking to bounce back from their 1-2 ODI series defeat against England in England in July. India's ODI squad for the West Indies series comprises Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (vice-captain), Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Mohammed Siraj, Auqib Nabi, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Naman Dhir. The first ODI of West Indies tour of India will start at 2 PM IST on Sunday, and we can watch the match live on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network. (ANI)
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