ENG vs IND, 4th Test: With series on the line, captain Gill’s real test begins now
These are early days for Shubman Gill, the captain. Leading India for the first time in Tests, his aggression on the pitch and the ability to calmly handle crunch situations have earned him praise from the cricket pundits.
But his real test is now as India heads to Manchester, trailing 1-2 in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
It’s going to be a herculean task for the young skipper, leading the team at Old Trafford, a venue where India has never won a Test. Providing role clarity will be crucial for India to win key moments throughout the game.
In Australian legend Greg Chappell’s recent column for ESPNCricinfo, he wrote: “Gill must start setting those expectations – clearly, proactively, and consistently.” And that certainly will be crucial in the remainder of the series.
There’s plenty to deal with anyway: whether to play Jasprit Bumrah in Manchester or keep him for the game at The Oval; should Karun Nair be replaced at number three; and is this the right time to bring in Kuldeep Yadav? Making the right calls will be decisive.
Barring the previous game at Lords, Gill has made his impact with the bat, amassing 607 runs in six innings this series. However, former England captain Andrew Strauss believes that in the early days of captaincy, one can usually strike a balance and that’s been the case with Gill so far.
Also read | David Gower: World Test Championship is inevitably flawed
“He is a quality player, but I think that back in my times, when I started the captaincy with England, that extra responsibility really helps your batting in the early stages. Maybe, towards the back end it becomes more difficult,” Strauss told Sportstar. “But right at the moment, he’s in that sweet spot and I suppose he’s just got to ride the wave and enjoy it,” he added.
In a high-voltage series, where stakes are high, it is never easy to handle situations, and that’s where Gill needs to learn, step up and instill belief in the team that it can bounce back no matter how tricky the situation gets. Having observed Gill’s captaincy closely in the series, former England captain David Gower is impressed with the way the 25-year-old has led, coming out of the shadows of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
“Building a team relies on so many things. At the start of the series, people talked about two great players – Rohit and Virat – not being around. But Shubman played beautifully in two Test matches,” Gower told this publication.
“To lead you don’t have to be 34, you can be 24, but talented, and with a good head, good mind, good technique. If you have that, you can fill that gap.”
Leading for the first time, there have been teething troubles for Gill: at times, he has gotten a bit carried away. But with the series on the line, it will be important for him to lead with his actions and decide how he wants to shape this team. It will certainly define Gill’s character as a captain.
