Kaif also questioned Gill's tactical choices on debut, especially the call to leave out Kuldeep -- a bowler capable of turning games in Australia's own backyard.
After this snub, it looks difficult for Shubman Gill at this point to make a comeback to the T20 team with plenty of talented young players waiting in the wings.
'In Shubman's leadership, there is either "Yes" or "No". There is no place for "May Be". As a leader and captain, you need to have that assertiveness about decisions you take, and he definitely has that.'
Virat Kohli discusses his time as captain of the Indian Test cricket team and how a shared sense of responsibility among players contributed to their success.
India are entering a rebuilding phase in Test cricket, with Shubman Gill facing early challenges as captain amid concerns over form, selection stability, and recent home results.
Spin great Harbhajan Singh said the selectors were right in appointing Shubman Gill as India's ODI captain last year, stating that the youngster is ready for "big challenges".
Dhawan also highlighted Rohit Sharma's influence on young players, particularly the openers, emphasising how his vast experience helps shape their game.
Rahul Dravid had backed Shubman Gill to become India's all-format captain four years ago.
Pathan also praised Virat Kohli's enduring fitness and consistency, calling him a "Run Machine" and noting that he continues to score centuries.
India begin their 2027 ODI World Cup preparations against Afghanistan with Rohit Sharma's fitness and Nitish Kumar Reddy's all-round abilities under scrutiny, while Shubman Gill continues to shape his leadership credentials.
All eyes will be on Shubman Gill when Ranji Trophy resumes on Thursday after India's Test and ODI captain decided against taking a break and opting to turn up for Punjab against Saurashtra in a key Group B clash in Rajkot.
Already, the knives are out for Gautam Gambhir because of his poor record as coach in Test matches, and a potential defeat in Sri Lanka could prove to be the killer blow.
Former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh is hopeful that the newly appointed India's ODI captain, Shubman Gill, will carry forward the legacy of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and other captains who served before him in the format.
Amid India's recent struggles in Test cricket, former England spinner Monty Panesar has raised doubts over Shubman Gill's leadership, describing him as a 'complacent cricketer' and insisting that the burden of all-format captaincy is currently beyond him.
India captain Shubman Gill, head coach Gautam Gambhir along with Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel arrived in Kolkata late on Sunday ahead of the upcoming two-Test series against South Africa.
Pathan felt the same learning curve now applies to Gill, who has rapidly risen through the ranks and embraced leadership roles across formats.
Shubman Gill had fired a verbal salvo at Zak Crawley during the Lord's Test after he and his opening partner Ben Duckett arrived 90 seconds late to the crease.
'He saw opportunities and brought in the right kind of bowlers.'
Shubman Gill walked out at Edgbaston with questions swirling around his captaincy - and answered them with his bat
Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina believes Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are the favourites to defend their Indian Premier League (IPL) title in 2026. He also acknowledged Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans as strong contenders.
Shubman Gill has set himself the goal of creating a team culture where every player is 'secure and happy.'
Temba Bavuma, who led South Africa to their maiden ICC World Test Championship title and a historic 2-0 series sweep in India, also made the cut, while four Australian players were included.
While modern greats like Shubman Gill and Joe Root shy away from batting at No. 3, Nasser Hussain says Cheteshwar Pujara embraced the challenge and carried forward Rahul Dravid's legacy with distinction.
The Indian cricket team's upcoming tour of England will be an examination for new Test leader Shubman Gill, and his success as captain will depend on his own batting performance, reckons former India selector Saba Karim.
He has since matured into a complete three-format player: 2,647 runs in 37 Tests at 41.35, 2,775 runs in 55 ODIs at a Bradmanesque 59.04, and 578 runs in 21 T20Is.
Rishabh Pant loses India Test vice-captaincy and is dropped from the ODI squad for the Afghanistan series, while K L Rahul returns as deputy and young players earn maiden call-ups.
India captain Shubman Gill surpassed Rahul Dravid's record for most runs by an Indian batter in a Test series in England.
For the fourth-placed Titans, Shubman has also found a perfect foil in left-handed B Sai Sudharsan as opening partner. On his part, Sudharsan has topped the charts for the Titans with 504 runs in 10 matches at 50.40 and a strike rate of 154.12 with five half-centuries.
Former India pacer Irfan Pathan praises Riyan Parag's captaincy and tactical decisions in Rajasthan Royals' thrilling win over Gujarat Titans.
Hero of India's two global triumphs, 44-year-old Yuvraj had guided young Gill and India's T20 opener Abhishek Sharma during the Covid-19 lockdown when they even stayed at his Chandigarh bungalow.
Shubman Gill is a 'thinking cricketer' but it is difficult to predict whether he would be able to replicate his T20 captaincy success in the Test format, said Gujarat Titans assistant coach Ashish Kapoor.
As fans celebrated his bold leadership, a black Nike vest he sported during the drinks break has triggered questions about a potential breach of BCCI's apparel deal with Adidas.
Former West Indies pacer Ian Bishop believes that Shubman Gill's captaincy will only grow stronger with the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the upcoming ODI series in Australia, calling their presence "a huge support system" for the young leader.
'I am not a Shubman Gill hater but I feel Ruturaj is a better option because he has scored runs in tougher situations.'
Suryakumar Yadav's future as India's T20 captain is uncertain, with his place in the team as a batter under scrutiny. Gautam Gambhir's support as head coach could be decisive, despite concerns from the selection committee about Suryakumar's recent form and suitability for the 2028 Olympics.
However in his first season as skipper, the tally had come down by more than half to 426 runs and even the strike-rate dropped by 10 percent from 157.70 to 147.40.
Shubman Gill might just want to be fit enough to bat, as even a half-fit skipper is seen as more effective than Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran or Sarfaraz Khan.
'Siraj is a captain's dream. Gave it his all every ball and every spell he bowled.'
Virat Kohli's batting a plus but lots of areas need improvement, says Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill is having a tough initiation into Gujarat Titans captaincy, but senior batter David Miller backed him, saying the 24-year-old is increasingly "adjusting" to the role.
