Former India star slams Shubman Gill for 'emulating' Virat Kohli's aggressive captaincy approach

Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has suggested that Shubman Gill is trying to replicate Virat Kohli’s aggressive leadership style as Test captain, which may not be working in his favour. Tiwary made these comments following the third day of the Lord's Test, where Gill was seen engaging with England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett over alleged time-wasting tactics.

Despite Gill’s attempts to unsettle the opposition, England had the last laugh, winning the Test and gaining a 2-1 advantage in the series. Gill, who had a disappointing outing with the bat scoring just 16 and 6 in the match, drew criticism from Tiwary for what he termed “unnecessary aggression.”

“I don’t like the direction Shubman Gill is heading as captain,” Tiwary remarked during a recent discussion. “He seems to be imitating Virat Kohli’s style of aggressive leadership, but it’s not benefiting his batting. Ever since he took on the captaincy in the IPL, I’ve noticed him becoming more animated and confrontational, even with umpires — something that wasn’t part of his nature earlier.”

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Tiwary emphasized that leadership doesn't require overt aggression and warned that such behavior can be mentally and physically draining. He suggested that Gill could still show intensity without engaging in verbal exchanges.

“Winning matches is the best form of aggression,” Tiwary added. “India could have led the series 2-1, but I feel this aggressive display, especially from the captain, isn’t healthy for the game.”

He also expressed concern over the kind of language being picked up by stump microphones, urging cricketers to be mindful of the example they set. “It’s disappointing to hear such words during the match. When you’re representing India, there’s a responsibility to maintain standards. This trend of using strong language, possibly influenced by past captains, needs to be addressed. Young players are watching and will follow suit,” Tiwary concluded.