Table of Contents
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has raised questions over Shubman Gill’s on-field conduct following India’s heartbreaking loss in the third Test against England at Lord’s. The 25-year-old Indian skipper, who had been in phenomenal touch in the first two Tests, was involved in a heated exchange with Zak Crawley — and it may have cost him dearly.
Gill, who had scored three centuries in the series, was dismissed for just 6 in the second innings the next morning. India went on to lose the Test by 22 runs and now trail 1-2 in the five-match series.
Sanjay Manjrekar draws comparisons between Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill’s sledging game
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s Match Day, Manjrekar pointed out that while Virat Kohli thrived in confrontations and used them to lift his game, Gill’s verbal battle seemed to throw him off balance instead of motivating him.
“With Kohli, aggression made him stronger — he became a better batter when things got heated. But Gill’s reaction was different. It didn’t help his cause. That made me wonder where Gill is headed. Because that sort of fire didn’t bring out the best in him — it seemed to rattle him,” Manjrekar said.
Sudden aggression may not suit Gill’s natural game
Manjrekar noted that Gill has never appeared to be a player who feeds off verbal duels. He questioned whether the newly-acquired captaincy and recent success made Gill feel the need to assert himself unnecessarily.
“If Gill was naturally fiery, we would’ve seen it earlier in his career. Kohli was always ready for a scrap — even before he became captain. With Gill, it feels like something new, maybe driven by recent success or leadership responsibilities,” he added.
Gill came into the Lord’s Test in red-hot form, having scored 485 runs in just five innings. But the second innings at Lord’s presented a tougher scenario — a fresh new ball and a responsive pitch. According to Manjrekar, the extra pressure he put on himself by engaging in sledging may have worked against him.
“He drew attention towards himself at the wrong time. It wasn’t like the earlier innings with a soft ball and flat pitch. This was a real test of skill and temperament,” Manjrekar explained.
With the fourth Test still a few days away, Manjrekar believes this is the perfect window for Gill to regroup and reset — both mentally and technically.
“This eight-day break is ideal. There are good people around him — especially his father, who has played a big role in his development. Gill doesn’t need to be Kohli or Dhoni. He just needs to figure out who he wants to be — and ensure that his leadership helps his batting, not harms it,” Manjrekar added further.
Also READ: Alastair Cook slams bowlers for constant complaints amid rising ball change requests
