Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) head coach Brendon McCullum has great expectations from the talented Shubman Gill, who will again be playing an important role for the two-time champions in this IPL.

According to McCullum, young Gill is capable enough to be a part of the Knight Riders’ leadership group along with World Cup winner Eoin Morgan.

“What a talent he (Shubman) is and what a good guy as well… He is going to be a part of our leadership group this year as well, at least in some capacity,” McCullum was quoted as saying by the Knight Riders website.

“Even though he is young, I am a big believer that it’s not necessarily true that you having played for a long time makes you a good leader. It’s about you exhibiting the behaviours of a leader.

“To us, Shubman is one of those guys we would look to lean on for some leadership throughout this season,” McCullum added about the 20-year-old, who has so far made two ODI appearances for India.

Morgan, alongside whom McCullum had played for the Knights back in 2012, is a “perfect foil” for captain Dinesh Karthik, feels the head coach.

“You’ve got that overseas experience and leadership, and you’ve got the local leader. I think it’s a really nice mix,” McCullum emphasised.

Elaborating on his similarities with Morgan, McCullum hailed the England white-ball captain as “inspirational.”

“We’re very similar kind of people, to be honest. We love the game, and we play it for the camaraderie, the friendships, the experiences that you gain for the rest of your life. We don’t necessarily play it just for that moment.”