Cheteshwar Pujara Backs Shubman Gill To Thrive Despite Having Strenuous Workload As All-Format Cricketer

Former India cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara has opened up about the biggest challenge Shubham Gill will encounter as an all-format player. The Indian Test icon highlighted that managing through all of cricket's formats will be strenuous for the 26-year-old.

As Team India's Test and ODI captain, Shubman Gill has had a tough road so far. The Indian cricketer has been switching between formats since the Asia Cup and has been performing nonstop for Team India.

Cheteshwar Pujara Backs Shubman Gill to Prosper Despite Intense All-Format Load

The grind for Shubman Gill continues as he will now face World Test Champions South Africa in red-ball cricket at home. He was recently promoted to ODI captain for the Men in Blue.

Cheteshwar Pujara believes Shubman Gill's biggest hurdle will be to adjust as per the format's requirements. Every format had a different set of requirements, which could be strenuous for an all-format star.

However, Pujara backed up Shubman Gill to thrive as he believes the 26-year-old will respond to the challenge properly.

"His biggest challenge will be adjusting to different formats as quickly as possible. In Test cricket, you need temperament, patience, and you also need to change your game plan according to the format, and to do that very quickly is always challenging for any top-class player.

"But someone like him, who is young, maturing quickly, and already leading the team well, I’m sure will respond positively," Cheteshwar Pujara said during the Media Day on JioHotstar.

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Pujara added that he expects the upcoming series to be a competitive one, as the hosts had done exceptionally well against the West Indies.

Shubman Gill Gears Up For A Significant Test Duel Against SA

The Indian cricket team is locked in for a newfound challenge when they face off against South Africa. After being crowned the World Test Champions, the Proteas Men have a new sense of belief to dominate in red-ball cricket. SA are coming off a draw against Pakistan, where spinners emerged as the key standouts.

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The onus would be on the Indian side, and how well they would respond to the South African challenge. The hosts' spin unit also boasts significant power, and it will be a thrilling contest on the turning tracks of Kolkata.

The India-South Africa Test series kicks off on November 14 at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata.