Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has praised India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill after meeting him in Paris on February 9. The two met while watching Manchester United’s Premier League win over Tottenham Hotspur, where Ferdinand described Gill as curious, humble and eager to learn.
In an Instagram post, Ferdinand shared how Gill stood out during their conversation. “I meet a lot of sports stars on my travels, but not many have shown me their curious mind so quickly like Shubman. After sitting down and ordering our soft drinks, I sensed curiosity through detailed questions about my football journey as a player, about leadership and relationships, all stemming from a huge desire (I felt) for Shubman to draw parallels where he could apply them to his world of cricket. Now who knows what he takes from what I said or if anything I said resonates, but my point is for someone so young to quickly set about probing, questioningand exploring different things with the only aim being to better himself,” Ferdinand wrote.
Ferdinand also reflected on Gill’s humility despite his success at a young age. “It was a refreshing moment given what he has achieved already at such a young age in the cricket world, yet he exudes humility on a level that you would normally associate with a guy on the come-up with not much achieved. I’ve been inspired to come to India again. This time I will be there in the not too distant future. India, watch this space!!!” he added.
Gill is not part of the Indian squad currently, as the Men in Blue are busy in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. He was last seen in action in the Ranji Trophy for Punjab against Saurashtra, where he scored a duck and 14 in the two innings.
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