Shubman Gill led India to a 3-0 series win over Afghanistan, with a nine-wicket victory in the final ODI match in Chennai.

What happened?

The Indian cricket team began their 2027 ODI World Cup preparations with this series win, as Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a ton and Rohit Sharma came back to form with his knock of 79 off 69 balls.
Gill was named the player of the series for his scores of 84 not out and 154.

Why it matters for Shubman Gill

Former India batter Manoj Tiwary said that Shubman Gill wasn’t a ‘born leader’ but will learn with each and every game, as he prepares to lead the side next against England in the three-match ODI series starting on 14th July.
Tiwary added that Gill is not someone who can be called a born leader, and that players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul are needed on this side to help him in his formative years as captain.

What comes next?

The right-handed batter was named the ODI skipper and succeeded Rohit at the helm, with his first series resulting in a 2-1 loss to Australia, before beating South Africa at home, and then losing to New Zealand earlier this year.
This series win over Afghanistan was his first clean sweep, and selectors will have a keen eye on how the youngster performs against the likes of England, West Indies, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka in the next few months.
Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar will hope Shubman can continue his good run of form as a batter and leader with the 2027 ODI World Cup 15 months away.
And Gill's performance will be crucial in the upcoming series, as he looks to prove himself as a capable captain.
But Tiwary's comments suggest that Gill still has a lot to learn, and that his captaincy is a work in progress.
So the next few months will be important for Gill, as he looks to lead India to success in the ODI format.
The 26-year-old has shown promise as a batter, but his captaincy skills are still developing, and he will need to learn from his mistakes if he is to succeed in the long term.
As Gill prepares to face England, he will need to draw on all his experience and skill to lead India to victory, and to prove himself as a capable captain.