Give some time to Shubman Gill, he will rise to the occasion: Harbhajan Singh

Shubman Gill was appointed as the captain of India's Test team after Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the longest format on May 7. Ever since Shubman's promotion was announced, many have expressed their apprehensions regarding the move. One of the major points emerging from their side is the Punjab batter's lacklustre batting record in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) countries, where he has a Test average of 26.72.

However, ex-India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh asserted that Shubman has what it takes to build on the legacy created by the former Indian captains. The cricketer-turned-commentator urged the stakeholders of Indian cricket, including the fans, to give Shubman time to rise to the occasion.

“Every captain has the capability to carry forward the legacy. Captains are not made in 1-2 months. You give some time to Gill, he will rise to the occasion, and you will see how capable he is as a captain. We have already seen him as a batter, that he is 'Gill Sahab the great',” Harbhajan was quoted as saying by India Today.

Best wishes to Shubman Gill and Team India: Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan wished the Indian team the best as it gears up to face England in a high-voltage five-match Test series, starting with the first game at Headingley, Leeds on June 20.

"We hope that India does well once again on English soil. Best wishes to Shubman Gill and Team India. It is a young team but a 'dum waali team'," the legendary spinner said.

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Coming back to Shubman the batter, he has been a great performer for India in the ODI format. Since 2022, no batter has scored more runs than him in the 50-over format in international cricket. However, he has not been able to do justice to his talent in Test cricket yet. In ODIs, the 25-year-old averages 59.04, but in Tests, the number drops to 35.06. With added responsibility now on his shoulders, Shubman might be able to unlock his true potential in the longest format of the game.