'He is young and still learning, but Gill has the ability to put opponents under pressure’: Virat Kohli

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former India captain and star batter Virat Kohli said Shubman Gill has the right vision and intensity to lead the Indian team. Kohli said Gill is still learning the responsibilities of captaincy. He was speaking to JioStar ahead of India’s first ODI against the West Indies tomorrow.

“Gill is still learning as a captain. He is young in this regard. But he has the vision and intensity needed to lead the Indian team. He has clear plans about how to take the team forward on the field,” Kohli said.

Kohli also said Gill’s decision-making would improve as he gains more experience as a captain and develops a better understanding of different match situations.

“His decisions will change as he gains more experience and learns to understand situations better. Everyone who takes up the leadership of a team learns in this way and improves through experience. Gill plans well on the field about how to get batters out. He focuses on trying new methods and putting pressure on opponents," Kohli said.

"Gill tries to put batters under pressure through different fielding arrangements. He also gives clear instructions to the bowlers accordingly. Trying new bowling strategies to trap batters is also part of Gill’s style,” he added.

Meanwhile, Virat Kohli is in excellent form in ODI cricket. In his last 10 ODIs, he has scored three centuries, one innings of more than 90 runs and four half-centuries. Since becoming a player who features in only one format, Kohli has been batting with greater freshness over the past 18 months.