Shubman Gill's Temperament Questioned As Sanjay Manjrekar Namedrops Virat Kohli: "Disappointed..."
Shubman Gill was rattled after England players attacked him with personal jibes.
- Sanjay Manjrekar criticised Shubman Gill's temperament and compared it to Virat Kohli's resilience
- English players' personal sledging appeared to unsettle Gill during the third Test
- "What disappointed me, though, was how it seemed to affect Shubman Gill," said Manjrekar
India captain Shubman Gill came under heavy scrutiny following the team's loss to England in the third Test at Lord's earlier this month. Gill, who accumulated 430 runs during the 2nd Test in Edgbaston, was accused of crumbling under pressure as India failed to chase down a target of 193. Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar also questioned Gill's temperament, saying that the youngster was rattled after England players attacked him with personal jibes. He also compared Gill's temperament to former India skipper Virat Kohli, adding that the latter would become an even better batter in a similar situation.
"When Gill walked out to bat on Day 4, I expected England to give it back to him. After all, he had lost his temper earlier, and that's part of the game. What disappointed me, though, was how it seemed to affect Shubman Gill. When something similar happened with Virat Kohli, he would get even more fired up and become a better batter. But with Gill, the effect wasn't the same. He came out looking tentative," Manjrekar told JioHotstar.
"Some of the sledging by English players included personal attacks. This might have been unfamiliar territory for Gill, especially considering that Indian players today often receive a friendly reception from touring sides. But Gill didn't seem up for the challenge. The way he batted reflected that, and I have no doubt there's a connection between the sledging and his uncertainty at the crease," he added.
While Manjrekar praised Gill for exceeding expectation as captain so far, he also suggested the 25-year-old to work on his temperament in order to carve out his own identity.
"Gill is a young captain, and he has already surpassed expectations, both with the bat and as a leader. The scoreline might be close, but India has won a Test match, and that's credit to how he has gone about it. This eight-day break comes at a perfect time for him. He has good people around him, and his father, more than anyone, would know what kind of personality Shubman really is, whether he's a potential Virat Kohli or Dhoni, or somewhere in between," said Manjrekar.
"I'm guessing somewhere in between. He has to find his own path now, a path that enhances both, his leadership and his batting. And, if there is anything coming in the way of either, he's got to quickly let go of it. In the first Test, he was leaning heavily on Rishabh Pant and others. In the second, he started asserting himself, and the results followed. Now, after this little setback in the third Test, we might see the best of Shubman Gill, the captain, in Manchester. Hopefully, we'll also see the best of Shubman Gill, the batter," he concluded.
India Cricket Team
England Cricket Team
Virat Kohli