'Some players dye their...': Virat Kohli’s beard joke steals spotlight as Shubman Gill grows into captaincy role

Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill. (Image: BCCI)

India's new Test captain, Shubman Gill, has embraced his responsibilities in style in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. He is currently the leading run-scorer of the series with over 730 runs and has already surpassed several legendary milestones. Before the series began, doubts were raised about his performances overseas, but the 25-year-old has responded emphatically with the bat.

Notably, Gill has stepped into two massive roles—taking over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma and batting at number 4 in place of Virat Kohli. Having previously been tried as an opener and at number 3, he now looks fully settled at number 4, with three centuries and a double hundred under his belt. He has adjusted remarkably well to the demands of leadership and his new batting position.

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Despite losing all five tosses in the series and India trailing 1-2 in the five-match contest, Gill has shown immense growth as a leader in less than two months. His progress has been swift and significant. Adding to the narrative is the fact that this is India's first Test series since Kohli’s retirement, placing Gill’s emergence in a compelling spotlight.

Former India pacer Varun Aaron also praised Gill’s transformation, acknowledging how demanding the captaincy can be—both mentally and physically. Referring to Virat Kohli’s lighthearted confession about dyeing his beard, Aaron said: "That's what happens to all Indian captains. They come in with a full bunch of black hair and leave with a lot of salt and pepper. And then, some even dye their beard," which drew laughter from the studio panel.

Speaking to Sony Sports Network, Aaron remarked that Gill’s rise has come full circle—now leading the Test side and dominating with the bat. He added, “Shubman Gill has kind of come full circle; he is the Test team captain, has batted so well, more than 700 runs. Any words or phrases would fall short to describe his batting. This Test is going to define his legacy going forward as a captain.”

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Meanwhile, Kohli, who made a rare public appearance last month at an event hosted by Yuvraj Singh, subtly hinted at his reasons for stepping away from Test cricket. While not giving a direct answer, he joked, "I just coloured my beard two days ago. You know it's time when you are colouring your beard every four days."