Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes that Shubman Gill’s unusual aggression during the third Test against England at Lord’s might have impacted his batting performance.
What Happened?
- On the third day at Lord’s, Gill reacted strongly to England batter Zak Crawley, confronting him about what the Indian team felt were time-wasting tactics.
- This incident sparked the first real on-field tension of the series, with several Indian players backing their captain.
- Later, when Gill came out to bat under pressure on day four, he was dismissed for just 6 runs, a rare failure in a series where he had scored heavily until then.
Manjrekar’s Observation
- Sanjay Manjrekar pointed out that some players, like Virat Kohli, thrive on on-field battles and use them to fuel their batting. In contrast, Gill appeared to struggle after the heated exchange.
- According to Manjrekar, Gill looked “tentative” and less in control at the crease after the incident, missing more balls than usual and falling quickly.
- Gill had previously shown excellent concentration and control, scoring three centuries in four innings before the Lord’s Test.
The Bigger Picture
- Manjrekar noted that this was likely a new situation for Gill. Usually, today’s Indian players receive friendlier treatment from opponents. Being involved in such a heated moment may have been outside his comfort zone.
- He added that Gill, at just 25 and in his first Test series as captain, has already impressed everyone and should take his time to discover what type of leader he wants to be—whether fiery like Kohli, calm like Dhoni, or something in between.
Summary
Sanjay Manjrekar’s advice for Gill: focus on finding your own captaincy style, one that helps both your leadership and your batting. The break before the next Test is an opportunity for Gill to reset and come back stronger.
