As Shubman Gill continues to shine in his new role as India’s Test captain, former skipper Sourav Ganguly has praised his remarkable performances but also offered a word of caution. Speaking on his 53rd birthday at Eden Gardens, Ganguly said, "This is the best I've seen him bat and I'm not surprised.”

Gill, leading India in his first Test series as captain, has already scored 585 runs at an average of 146.25. This includes three centuries, one of them a double hundred, across two Tests so far.

Records Fall as India Levels Series

India’s huge 336-run victory at Edgbaston helped them level the five-match Test series 1-1. The win also saw Gill reach several milestones. He scored 269 and 161 in the match, making it the highest match aggregate by an Indian batter. Now, Gill is just 18 runs short of breaking Rahul Dravid’s record of 602 runs from the 2002 England tour, the most by an Indian in a Test series in England.

Still, Ganguly warned that the real test of leadership is yet to come. He said, “He has just become captain, it's a honeymoon period. But there would be more pressure with time. The pressure will build in the next three Tests.”

Bradman’s Historic Mark in Sight

Gill’s red-hot form has also brought him close to a long-standing record set by Sir Don Bradman. The Australian legend scored 810 runs in the 1936–37 Ashes as captain. With three Tests left, Gill is just 225 runs behind and has a chance to create history.

Ganguly Highlights India’s Consistent Talent Pool

As senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin remain absent, India’s younger generation has stepped up. Ganguly reflected on this, saying, “There is so much talent in Indian cricket. In every generation you will find players.” He listed past greats like Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Tendulkar, Dravid, and Kumble, and noted that now players like Gill, Jaiswal, Akash Deep, Mukesh, and Siraj are rising to fill the gaps.

He added, “In every generation, whenever there's a void, they will come and fill it. I've always said that.”

Ganguly Urges Focus for Upcoming Matches

Despite India’s dominant performance in Birmingham, Ganguly stressed that the series is still open. He said, “It's just one-all. There's still a lot to play for with three matches to go. India played well, and have been playing well. But again, you have to start from scratch in the next match (at Lord's).”

As India prepares for the third Test at Lord’s, the focus now shifts to whether Gill can maintain his red-hot form and lead India to a series win—while managing the rising weight of expectations.