Sachin Tendulkar, a legend of Indian cricket, has offered strong support and advice to new Test captain Shubman Gill, urging him to ignore external distractions and focus on team objectives. Tendulkar believes Gill will deliver “something special” during the upcoming five-Test series in England and has boldly predicted a 3-1 victory for India.

Tendulkar’s core advice to the 25-year-old Gill is to “shut the doors” to outside opinions regarding his captaincy style. “My advice to him [Gill] would be that he should not worry about what x, y, z is saying,” Tendulkar told ESPNcricinfo. He emphasized that Gill’s focus should remain on dressing room discussions, adherence to team plans, and decisions made solely in the team’s best interest. “The outside world can only give opinions… I would say, just go out, it’s a huge honour, enjoy the moment and give your best for the country… Other than that, I would say shut the doors to everything. I think that should be his thought process.”

Gill’s ascension to captaincy follows the retirements of senior batsmen Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, placing him at the helm of a younger Indian side. He will also bat at the crucial No. 4 position, a slot historically occupied by Tendulkar and Kohli for the past three decades. Tendulkar, who batted at No. 4 an astonishing 275 times and scored 13,492 runs, believes Gill has earned this responsibility. “It is good that people believe that he is capable of fulfilling that [No. 4] responsibility. The expectations that people have of him is a positive sign, because people have faith in him,” Tendulkar affirmed, adding, “He has to just go out and be himself, be determined and put his best foot forward with all his commitment. I’m sure he’ll do something special.”

Batting Insights for Youngsters and Rishabh Pant

Tendulkar, who personally boasts an impressive Test average of 54.31 with four centuries in England, shared valuable advice for India’s young batters on how to counter England’s fast bowlers. He highlighted three key factors to respect: “overhead conditions, the wind, and the pitch.” Crucially, he stressed the importance of a “good, solid front-foot defence to a fast bowler.” Tendulkar explained that while attacking shots come naturally to modern players, disciplined defense against balls not meant to be hit is paramount to avoiding costly dismissals.

Addressing Rishabh Pant, 27, a senior batter whose audacious approach has sometimes drawn scrutiny, Tendulkar urged him to find a balance between his natural game and the match situation. “He [Pant] should back his instincts most of the time,” Tendulkar advised. “But there’ll be situations where he’ll have to curb his game in the interests of the team… He has to have that flexibility in his mind.” He suggested that in game-saving scenarios, Pant might need to adopt a more defensive approach, temporarily sacrificing aggressive shots. Conversely, in most situations, Tendulkar, if captain, would tell Pant to “Just go out and play your game, why worry about anything.”

Reflecting on Past Success and Series Prediction

Looking back at India’s last Test series victory in England in 2007, where he played a significant role, Tendulkar fondly recalled the “fabulous” moment and the collective team effort. “These kinds of moments stay with you forever. We’re still talking about it 18 years down the line. I hope we’re able to do something this series too, so 20 years down the line we can still talk about it,” he said. Tendulkar specifically expressed anticipation for the battle between India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and England’s key batsman Joe Root.

When asked for his series prediction, Tendulkar confidently declared, “I have settled for 3-1 to India.”

The first Test between India and England is scheduled to begin this Friday at Headingley.