India, Feb. 7 -- Virat Kohli was the Indian team's all-format captain when 19-year-old Shubman Gill first joined the side for an overseas tour of New Zealand in the first half of 2019. After watching Gill practice closely for the first time in the lead-up to the ODI series, Kohli said he was nowhere as good as Gill was at the age of 19. Since then, Gill has gone from strength, demanding a place in all three formats of the Indian side and now rising to the leadership group - he was named vice-captain for the ODI series against England and also the Champions Trophy. Amidst all this, one thing remained constant; Kohli's support for Gill.

Cut to the first ODI against England in Nagpur on February 6, 2025. Kohli was not part of the XI. He was...