“It is not easy to switch formats” - Shubman Gill opens up on playing non-stop cricket

Team India’s newly appointed Test captain, Shubman Gill, has opened up on balancing the pressure of captaincy and batting. Notably, Gill was appointed as the Test captain after Rohit Sharma bid adieu to the longest format of the game ahead of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England.

In his first series as Test captain, Gill propelled the Indian team to a series-levelling 2-2 draw against England in the five-match Test series. Speaking in the pre-match press conference ahead of the first Test against South Africa, Gill stated that he doesn’t overthink as a captain.

“In my preparation, I mainly focus on how I can succeed as a batsman. On the field, I like my instincts to take over while captaining. That's when I make the best tactical decisions for the team,” Shubman Gill said ahead of the opening Test against South Africa.

“It's a conscious effort that when I'm batting, I think only as a batsman -- not as a captain. Sometimes, if you overthink as a captain, you put too much pressure on yourself and avoid taking small risks that give you the x-factor. That's how I balance my captaincy and batting.”

Notably, Gill accumulated 754 runs in 10 innings with three centuries and a double century in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 in England to emerge as the leading run-scorer in the five-match series.

There has been a huge workload on Gill since taking over the captaincy in Tests. After playing the England Test tour, he was later part of the Asia Cup 2025 campaign. Subsequently, he played the West Indies Test series at home and later, the Australian limited-overs tour Down Under.

“Firstly, in a 3-4 day turnaround, it is not easy to switch formats. It is mentally more challenging. There is a time difference in Australia, so the body takes time to adjust. Playing Test cricket in India presents different challenges compared to Australia. It is definitely mentally and physically demanding,” Gill stated.

“But as a professional cricketer, you know these challenges will come your way. The way you tackle them defines your greatness,” he concluded.

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