Shubman Gill among 3 Indians strictly ordered to carry forward Virat Kohli's Test legacy

Published - 04 Jul 2025, 07:14 PM

Shubman Gill lead Indian team in Tests
Shubman Gill lead Indian team in Tests. Image Credit: X

India’s Test team has already entered a bold new era under the leadership of young guns Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, and former England captain Michael Vaughan said that the weight of its future now rests on three young shoulders.

With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket, Vaughan believes that Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant must now carry the Indian cricket team and its legacy forward. He also believes that India is no longer in the transition phase, but in a full-blown transformation.

Michael Vaughan says Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Yashasvi Jaiswal must now carry India's Test legacy forward

The cricket pundit has further stressed that Gill, Jaiswal, and Pant must collectively take charge of Indian Test cricket just like Virat Kohli did during his golden phase, when he almost carried the team on his own in all three formats of the game.

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Michael Vaughan was quoted as saying by PTI: “They (Gill, Jaiswal, and Pant) now have to drag this Indian Test team forward like Virat did single-handedly. There's a group of them that I see that play the game the right way.”

However, Vaughan has made it clear that early success doesn’t guarantee long-term greatness, and for India’s young army, the mission isn’t just to win a few matches or series but to build something iconic.

Replacing Virat Kohli’s legacy won’t be easy: Michael Vaughan

He mentioned that Kohli’s leadership was not just about runs, but it was also about energy, hunger, and dominance. Under Kohli’s captaincy, India became the number one Test team and made records both at home and away.

So, Vaughan reckons that it is now up to Gill’s calm control, Jaiswal’s fearless intent, and Pant’s explosive flair to shape a new Indian era that can match or even surpass what Kohli built.

Vaughan further noted, “They've got a great chance of leaving a legacy in a few years' time of doing what Virat Kohli did to the Indian Test team. If they can be anywhere near as close as what he brought to the Test match team—the energy and the number-one status for such a long period of time—they'll have done a decent job.”

Read Also: Watch: Shubman Gill nearly suffers freak injury as Harry Brook hits him brutally on the head

Michael Vaughan says Shubman Gill can grow as a Captain, but Virat Kohli's aura and intensity are irreplaceable

Meanwhile, India might have plenty of young talent, but the former England captain believes that replacing Virat Kohli’s aura and energy won’t be easy. However, Vaughan praised Gill’s strong start as captain and batter but noted that Kohli’s intensity and leadership will take time to replace.

Vaughan further explained, “You can't move on so suddenly after two legends have retired or moved out of the team. Shubman's made an incredible start as a captain and as a player. He's a wonderful player. In terms of batting, I don't think the team will struggle too much.”

The commentator feels Gill has the potential to grow tactically, but filling Kohli’s shoes is never going to be an easy job. He signed off by saying, “It's that competitive energy that Virat brought to the Test team. He just brought that buzz and that intensity that you require. Tactically, he was very good as well. That'll be something that Shubman can get better at over the years as captain.”

Rashmi Wasnik

Rashmi Wasnik is a passionate content writer with over a decade of experience. She started her journ... Read more

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