Not many like Shubman Gill: Manchester United great applauds India star's humility
Former England footballer Rio Ferdinand met India's Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill in Paris on Monday and later shared his admiration for the young cricketer on Instagram.
Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has praised India's Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill after meeting him in Paris on Monday, describing the young cricketer as both curious and remarkably humble.
Ferdinand, who spent time with Gill while watching Manchester United's win over Tottenham Hotspur in Paris, later took to Instagram to share his thoughts. The former centre-back said that although he meets many elite athletes during his travels, very few have demonstrated the level of curiosity Gill displayed during their interaction.
"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 & relationships, all stemming from a huge desire (I felt) for Shubman to draw parallels where he could apply 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, questioning, exploring different things with the only aim being to better himself," Ferdinand wrote.
The former England international also underlined Gill's grounded nature despite his achievements 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.
Widely regarded as one of England's finest defenders, Ferdinand earned 81 caps for his country between 1997 and 2011 and featured in three FIFA World Cup squads. During his decorated stint with Manchester United, he won six Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League crown and a FIFA Club World Cup, along with multiple domestic trophies.
Gill, meanwhile, will next feature in the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League, where he will captain the Gujarat Titans. The tournament is set to begin on March 26.
In the previous edition, the 26-year-old enjoyed an impressive campaign, scoring 650 runs at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 155.88. He finished as the fourth-highest run-getter in IPL 2025, reinforcing his status as one of India's premier batters across formats.
Former England and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has praised India's Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill after meeting him in Paris on Monday, describing the young cricketer as both curious and remarkably humble.
Ferdinand, who spent time with Gill while watching Manchester United's win over Tottenham Hotspur in Paris, later took to Instagram to share his thoughts. The former centre-back said that although he meets many elite athletes during his travels, very few have demonstrated the level of curiosity Gill displayed during their interaction.
"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 & relationships, all stemming from a huge desire (I felt) for Shubman to draw parallels where he could apply 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, questioning, exploring different things with the only aim being to better himself," Ferdinand wrote.
The former England international also underlined Gill's grounded nature despite his achievements 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.
Widely regarded as one of England's finest defenders, Ferdinand earned 81 caps for his country between 1997 and 2011 and featured in three FIFA World Cup squads. During his decorated stint with Manchester United, he won six Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League crown and a FIFA Club World Cup, along with multiple domestic trophies.
Gill, meanwhile, will next feature in the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League, where he will captain the Gujarat Titans. The tournament is set to begin on March 26.
In the previous edition, the 26-year-old enjoyed an impressive campaign, scoring 650 runs at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 155.88. He finished as the fourth-highest run-getter in IPL 2025, reinforcing his status as one of India's premier batters across formats.