Sunil Gavaskar, the legendary Indian batsman, lauded Shubman Gill’s great temperament in the final innings of the fourth Test against England in Ranchi.
Chasing a tough 192 on a deteriorating track, India fell from 84/0 to 120/5 during the second session of Day 4. However, the 24-year-old remained undeterred, scoring a match-winning 52* from 124 deliveries to help the team win by five wickets.
The consequence of the match meant India reached a winning 3-1 margin and the series was over with a quick game to go.
Speaking to India Today following the hosts’ stunning triumph, Sunil Gavaskar praised Gill’s attitude and expressed his excitement at seeing it in the young players.
“To keep his cool, speaks very highly of Gill’s temperament. I have always said that it’s temperament that separates men from boys. And our youngsters are becoming men and that’s such a heartening aspect as far as Indian cricket is concerned.”
Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar added:
“To come out with the 2 innings that he did, particularly the innings he played today, was not easy. Ben Stokes’ field placements were outstanding. He made it look as if India were chasing 150 and not 192.”
Sunil Gavaskar
Gill and wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel combined for an undefeated 72-run sixth-wicket stand to settle the Indian neves, with the latter scoring the winning runs.
Gill has been struggling in Test cricket since scoring a century against Australia in Ahmedabad. He had gone 12 innings without a half-century until scoring 104 in the second Test of the current England series.
“Everybody’s expectations were high” – Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar thought Shubman Gill’s recent bad record was a result of the young batter’s high expectations at the start of his career.
The 24-year-old relished a tremendous inauguration to his Test career. In the 2020-21 Australian tour, he tallied 259 runs over three matches, averaging nearly 52. Moreover, Gill’s ODI statistics—an imposing 61.37 average and 103.46 strike rate—have further supplemented the lofty prospects for him.
“His performances, not just here, but when he started his international career, have been so good that everybody’s expectations were high. When that happens, people start questioning when you get a couple of low scores.”
Sunil Gavaskar
Gill recaptured his greatest Test form with a second-innings century in Vizag, an unbeaten 91 in Rajkot, and a match-winning 52* in the just ended Ranchi Test.
Regardless of the series outcome, important World Test Championship (WTC) points will be at risk when Team India and England face battle in the final Test in Dharamsala on March 7.