New Delhi: Australian legend Ricky Ponting offered a frank evaluation of the preparation of Shubman Gill for the challenges of the test captain, urging the young Indian skipper to consider the striker at n ° 4 in the next five tests in England from June 20. Ponting, which led to the kings of Punjab to the IPL 2025 final, believes that the additional responsibility for leadership could affect Gill’s stick, which still requires refinement for the format of the red ball.Go beyond the border with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!“Its white ball shape has been incredibly good,” Ponting told PTI. “But he has a little work to do during his test match. It will not be easy for him.Gill, who began as a opener and moved to No. 3, should inherit the Vacante N ° 4 slit of Virat Kohli. Ponting considers this as a strategic decision that could alleviate the burden during the first days of Gill captain.
“If they go with (Yashasvi) Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan as an overturch, they need someone more experienced in n ° 3 – perhaps Kl Rahul or Karun Nair. This would allow Shubman to beat at four,” said Ponting. “Once you have developed, you can get back to number 3.”Despite the concerns, Ponting remains confident about the long -term leadership prospects of Gill.“It seems just the kind of guy that the additional responsibility would not confuse too much. He has a really level head on his shoulders. He is someone who will be around Indian cricket for another 10 years.”Ponting, one of the best cricket captains, also dissected Gill’s faults in test cricket – including his tendency to play with hard hands and occasional shortcomings.
“I think it’s no longer his mental request,” said Ponting. “There is nothing bad technically. But sometimes he could get ahead or a little lazy for a round. You must be 100% engaged for each ball, for six or seven hours of the day. This is the challenge for Shubman.”Making comparisons with Virender Sehwag, Ponting said: “Some major test players did not have excellent defensive games. But if you control your racing game, it is less concern. Defense is important, but the state of mind is more important.”