Skipper Shubman Gill ensured India remain in the competition, and former England batter Jonathan Trott couldn’t help but appreciate the ovation he received from the English supporters at Old Trafford while he was walking back to the pavilion after getting dismissed. Gill extended his purple patch during the series with a fine ton in India’s second innings of the fourth Test.
Trott commended Gill’s gritty character, which was on display during his partnership alongside KL Rahul under an enormous amount of pressure, to be able to come back from the recent questions over his ability during the previous encounter at Lord’s. The cricketer-turned-commentator also expressed that the Indian captain had improved upon his recent vulnerabilities with the bat and exhibited a much-improved skill set during the second innings.
“One thing that stood out for me was the ovation he received walking off — not just from Indian fans, who were obviously there in big numbers, but also from English fans. Yes, they were happy he was dismissed, but they also appreciated the resilience and class he showed, especially coming back from recent struggles. That says a lot about his character,” he opined via JioHotstar.
“It was just one of those mistakes — you can forgive that kind of dismissal. Gill was able to adapt to the variable bounce. Whether the ball kept low or bounced extra, he was in control because he got himself into much better positions this inning. In the past games, we’ve seen him caught on the crease, hesitant in decision-making, or getting out LBW. But this time, his footwork was sharp, and when your feet are moving well, your balance follows, which allows you to respond more effectively to any unpredictable movement,” he added.
Gill will take a lot of confidence from this knock: Manjrekar
Ex-India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar also went on to commend Gill’s knock in India’s second innings of the fourth Test between England and India of the ongoing five-match series. Manjrekar felt Gill’s 103-run knock should serve as a confidence-booster moving forward. The former batter acknowledged the ball which dismissed Gill during the first session of the fifth day, and complimented Ben Stokes for persisting with a consistent channel.
“Regarding Shubman Gill, once he reached his hundred, the question is; did he relax? But that might be a bit harsh. The second new ball was likely to claim at least one batter, and unfortunately for India, it turned out to be Gill. Ben Stokes bowled a fantastic spell today. He built pressure, and that delivery to Gill was top-class. Still, this was a great innings from a young man under pressure, and he should take a lot of confidence from it,” he said.
“The major hurdle for India at the start was always going to be the first 30 minutes. India had to essentially do a factory reset and recapture the mindset and rhythm they displayed while batting yesterday. That’s never easy. The second new ball was also going to be a challenge; and that’s exactly how things unfolded. They lost KL Rahul early, and once the second new ball was taken, the pressure mounted,” Manjrekar added.
Gill has been India and the series’ leading run-getter so far. He has scored 722 runs in eight innings so far. The 430-run aggregate which he amassed in the second Test at Edgbaston shattered several records.
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