Indian Test captain Shubman Gill recently revealed his two cricketing idols during a podcast.
Shubman Gill is considered the face of Indian cricket’s new generation. The new Test captain and current vice-captain of India’s ODI and T20I teams, he first rose to prominence during the U19 World Cup in 2018 in New Zealand, where he finished as the tournament’s highest run-scorer.
His impressive performances quickly caught the eye of the Indian Premier League (IPL), and he was signed by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for IPL 2018. Shubman Gill made his ODI debut for India in 2019 against New Zealand and earned his Test debut in 2020 during the Melbourne Test in Australia. His T20I debut came later, in 2023, on home soil.
In his international career so far, Shubman Gill has played 37 Tests, amassing 2,647 runs at an average of 41.35, including nine centuries and seven fifties, with a highest score of 269. In 55 ODIs, he has scored 2,775 runs at an impressive average of 59.04, including eight centuries, with a top score of 208. In 22 T20Is, he has made 598 runs, including a highest score of 126, at a strike rate of 141.03.
Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar: Shubman Gill Reveals His Cricketing Heroes
Shubman Gill recently opened up on an Apple Music podcast about the two cricketing legends who inspired him from a young age: Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar. He shared that his father was a big fan of Tendulkar, whose career motivated him to pursue cricket.
“I have had two idols. The first was Sachin Tendulkar. He was my dad’s favorite, and I actually got into cricket because of him. He retired in 2013, and between 2011 and 2013, I really began to understand cricket—not just the skills, but also the mental and tactical aspects of the game,” Gill explained.
The Indian Test captain also highlighted how Virat Kohli influenced him during the same period.
“That was also when I started following Virat Kohli closely. I admired his passion, his dedication, and his hunger for success. You can learn the skills and techniques, but hunger is something you either have or don’t. Virat had it in abundance, and that really inspired me,” Gill added.
Tendulkar retired in 2013 as the highest run-scorer in both Tests and ODIs, with a record 100 international centuries. Kohli retired from T20Is in 2024 and Tests in 2025, having played 122 T20Is and 123 Test matches.