Jos Buttler, the T20 World Cup-winning captain, has compared India’s incoming Test captain Shubman Gill to his predecessors Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. While Rohit Sharma‘s calm and composed approach led India to four ICC finals, an Asia Cup win, a T20 World Cup, and a Champions Trophy title during his captaincy, Virat Kohli’s intense personality propelled India to greater heights, particularly in the red-ball format, as India was the No.1 Test side for the majority of his time as captain.
Buttler, who captained the Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2025, believes Gill is a hybrid of the two, as he takes a calm approach like Rohit but has an aggressive on-field demeanour like Virat Kohli. According to the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman, the 25-year-old has learnt some crucial leadership skills from the famed India combination while still retaining his unique personality, which will set him apart as captain.
“He’s a fantastic footballer and a wonderful young man. He’s quite calm and measured when he speaks, but on the pitch, I feel like he’s got a bit of fight in him; a little intensity, a lot of emotion. “I think he’ll be a mix of Kohli and Rohit,” Buttler said on the For The Love of Cricket podcast with great bowler Stuart Broad.
“Kohli [was] that sort of aggressive [guy] who really altered the Indian team, in your face, for the competition. Rohit [was] on the other side, a little more laid back, a very cool, calm, and collected customer, but with that kind of fight. I believe Shubman will fall somewhere in the middle, based on my interactions with him thus far. “He has learnt from those two guys, but he will be his own man.”
The 35-year-old Englishman also discussed his time playing at GT under Shubman Gill captaincy.
He believes Gill recognises the distinction between individual performances in top-order batting, as well as the need of setting a good example.
“He mentioned compartmentalising batting and captaining, so while he’s batting, he simply wants to be a batter, and then he’ll attempt to concentrate on his leadership and separate the two responsibilities. When you’re doing such a major job as captain of the Indian cricket team, he’ll need to do it properly and have some decent people behind him.
Jos Buttler, India’s Test captain, is India’s most powerful person after the Prime Minister.
“I don’t think we can truly grasp the kind of interest and celebrity that these men have. You’ve seen it in the IPL, but now you’re experiencing it firsthand… I believe they say the Indian Test captain is the third or fourth most influential person in India, behind the Prime Minister and so on, so you are truly elevated to that height,” he said.
“It will be a major job for him. He’s obviously captained two seasons of IPL cricket, which is a massive, pressure-filled position, and he’s like the prince. According to popular belief, Kohli is the king and Shubman is the prince. Personally, I believe Shubman is the next big thing. Stepping into that No. 4 shoe is a big one, isn’t it? Coming in after Virat and Sachin Tendulkar before him. “That’s obviously a huge role,” he said.
Gill’s first task as India captain will be a significant challenge, as he will lead the Baggy Blues in a five-match Test series against England, the first of which begins on June 20 at Headingley in Leeds. He would want to prove himself and make a statement about his future as India’s top red-ball player.
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