NEW DELHI: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has thrown his full weight behind Shubman Gill, declaring that the young India star has all the qualities needed to lead the national side across formats.

In a strong endorsement, the former India captain said Gill should be entrusted with captaincy "in everything", insisting that the 26-year-old is too talented and too mature to be doubted every few months.

Talking to cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle on Bandhan Bank Connect podcast, Ganguly recalled a recent conversation at Eden Gardens where a fan asked him whether Gill should be India's T20I captain. His response was emphatic: "He should be captain of everything - he's that good."

He pointed out how quickly public opinion swings, reminding that just three months ago the same person was praising Gill for leading a young India squad impressively in England, in the absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Now, suddenly, the questions had returned.

"That's the mindset of people," Ganguly said. "It happens even with those who make decisions every day."

Ganguly stressed that leadership cannot be judged in a span of weeks and that Gill deserves time and patience to grow into the role.

"As I said, you have to be patient. You have to allow someone the time to become better," he added. "It's not rocket science."

With India preparing for a transition phase in white-ball cricket, Ganguly's ringing endorsement is one of the strongest signals yet that Gill is seen as a central figure in India's future leadership plans.