Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden has backed Shubman Gill to manage India’s challenges in Test cricket, saying the young captain has the qualities needed for a difficult World Test Championship cycle.
Hayden, speaking to ANI ahead of the first Test between Australia and Bangladesh in Darwin, said India still had work to do in the longer format. He also described Gill as “a wonderful young man and a good leader”.
India are currently fifth in the World Test Championship 2025-27 standings. The team has played nine matches in the cycle so far, winning four, losing four and drawing one.
Hayden says Gill has a major task in Tests
Gill is leading India in Tests and ODIs at a time when the side is trying to build consistency in red-ball cricket. Hayden said the role comes with several challenges, including the broader issue of keeping Test cricket strong.
“I guess in many ways India as a cricketing nation has also had a brilliant captain in Shubman Gill. He has many challenges to face, none of which is more important than the survival of Test match cricket,” Hayden told ANI.
India have remained strong in white-ball formats, but Hayden said the longer format requires attention. He pointed out that most teams are dealing with similar questions around Test cricket.
“And I feel India are in a much better position to continue their winning ways in the short formats, 50-over in particular, and T20 cricket, and they do have some work to do as most nations do in and around their Test and longer formats,” he said.
India’s position in the WTC cycle
The World Test Championship standings have added pressure to every series India play in the cycle. With four wins and four losses from nine matches, India are not out of contention, but they cannot afford long periods of inconsistency.
Hayden said Gill would have to guide a team that includes both younger players and more experienced cricketers. His view was that India have enough quality around the captain, but performances must follow.
“So I’m sure Shubman Gill will be up to that challenge. He’s a wonderful young man and a good leader, and he’s got a good team around him, albeit a team that’s going to need to perform some younger players and some more experienced players. But they’ve got a job to do ahead of the World Test Championship final, which is in June next year,” Hayden added.
Hayden has seen Gill’s captaincy closely
Hayden’s comments also come from recent experience of working around Gill. He was the batting coach of Gujarat Titans during the 2026 Indian Premier League season, when Gill captained the franchise to the final.
Gujarat Titans finished as runners-up that season after Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated them to retain the IPL title. Gill’s role as captain in that campaign gave Hayden a closer look at his leadership style in a high-pressure tournament.
While IPL captaincy and Test leadership are very different tasks, Hayden’s remarks suggest he sees qualities in Gill that can carry across formats. India’s current Test situation, however, will depend on results over the rest of the WTC cycle.
Comparison with earlier Indian teams
Hayden was also asked about how the current Indian team compares with sides from earlier eras, including teams that featured players such as Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly.
He did not frame the comparison as one generation being better than another. Instead, Hayden said strong teams in different eras have always had quality players.
“I think that good cricketers are good cricketers. It doesn’t matter whether you’re comparing the times of the Bradman era, the times of Sachin Tendulkar, the Sourav Ganguly era. The full member nation teams are always full of very good cricketers,” Hayden said.
For India, the immediate focus remains the WTC cycle. Hayden’s assessment was clear: Gill has the leadership ability, but India must improve their Test results if they want to stay in the race for the final in June next year.
Source: The Hindu Cricket.