He is currently the leading run-scorer of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025.
The pressure must be mounting on the Shubman Gill-led side after India’s heartbreaking 22-run loss against England at Lord’s. As a result, India are lagging 1-2 in the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025. While there were questions on his stats outside Asia, Gill silenced his critics with two hundreds and a double century in the first two Tests. The right-hand batter failed in the third Test, managing just 22 runs (16 and six) across two innings. However, Gill is still the leading run-getter of the series with 607 runs in six innings, averaging 101.16. Former players Sanjay Manjrekar and Ravi Shastri have shared their contrasting thoughts on what would’ve affected his batting.
Following one miserable Test at Lords, former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar didn’t shy from criticising Gill’s captaincy. Majrekar reckons that the 25-year-old aims to become a brand like Virat Kohli was, and that is not working for him. Majrekar feels unsure about Gill’s aggressive approach in the third Test.
“What Virat Kohli did was second nature to him. His cricket and batting used to get enhanced by that. Shubman Gill, I’m not sure whether this (aggression) comes naturally to him. If Virat Kohli had come out to bat, he would have looked into the face of those people and got a hundred. But if you looked at Shubman Gill’s body language, the man who has almost batted like Bradman, was so tentative,” Manjrekar said on JioHotstar.
However, former head coach Ravi Shastri has voiced his support for the 25-year-old, who is leading India’s Test team for the first time. Shastri is impressed with his captaincy, but urged him to play to his strengths and quickly figure out his leadership style. Speaking on The ICC Review, Shastri reflected on whether the Indian captain’s aggressive energy affected his performance with the bat at Lord’s at all.
“Yes, it would have fired up England for sure when they came out to bat. And when you go down that route, you’ve got to expect it. Now you have to see if it suits Gill in the long run or not. You have to play to your strengths. If it’s going to affect your concentration, then you stay back. You don’t have to do it. There are others in the team who can help you out. It’s a team game after all. But you thrive on it; by all means, do it,” said Shastri.
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The former Indian cricketer has also backed his on-field attitude at the Lord’s Cricket Ground and believes that a little bit of argy-bargy should be allowed.
“I don’t mind that at all. A little bit of argy-bargy is allowed. It happens, tempers, you can go over the top as long as you don’t cross the line. I don’t like anything physical happening on the field,” added Shastri.
The two teams have a long gap before they meet again for the fourth Test in Manchester on July 23.
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