Former India batter Robin Uthappa believes Shubman Gill's STINT as India's Test captain is still a work in progress, especially when it comes to trusting and nurturing spin resources. While Gill has shown promise as a young leader, Uthappa feels that India's struggles in the World Test Championship WTC cycle show the need for better bowling management, particularly of spinners like Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav.
The recent home Test series defeat against South Africa has severely dented people's questions about Gill's captaincy. Although the team managed to draw the Test series in England 2-2, the overall results have raised questions about tactical decision-making and resource utilisation. Gill, who has taken over leadership responsibilities in ODIs and Tests, now faces the challenge of transforming from a lead batter into a complete Test captain.
Uthappa pointed out that Gill may be unintentionally undermining spinners like Sundar by not fully backing them in match situations. He explained that captains sometimes perceive certain bowlers as easy to play and, as a result, hesitate to give them extended spells. According to Uthappa, this mindset can stall a bowler's growth and harm the team in the long run.
