New Delhi, July 7 Former India cricketer Madan Lal lavished praise on Shubhan Gill for handling the pressure of being a Test captain, highlighting how he led the team to victory while also taking care of his performance.
India came into the second Test at Edgbaston with a history of not having won a single Test match at the venue. Gill led India to a historic 336-run win while scoring a record 430 runs in the match. The triumph in Birmingham is also India’s biggest away Test win in terms of runs.
Following a five-wicket defeat in the series opener in Leeds, India's bowling and fielding came under scrutiny. However, the visitors responded emphatically in the second Test, bowling out England for 271 on the final day, with more than a session to spare, to level the series 1-1.
"India dominated both Test matches. They lost the last one mainly because of poor fielding; otherwise, they performed well. The bowling department did an excellent job - our bowling was far better than England’s. In the last match, we bowled a bit short, which allowed them (England) to chase down the target.
"Shubman Gill is the talk of the town; he’s leading from the front. This boy is amazing. There’s pressure in life, but the pressure of being a team captain is different - you carry responsibilities, you’re expected to deliver results, and at the same time, you have to take care of your own performance. He managed both aspects really well.
"But it’s not just about Gill - it’s also about Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul in the first Test, Jaiswal and Jadeja. When you perform like this, you give yourself every chance of winning," Madan Lal told IANS.
The former cricketer further opined that host England seemed overconfident in the game after their victory in the first Test, citing their decision to invite India to bat first at Edgbaston.
"I think England were overconfident. After winning the toss, they let India bat first on such a good wicket - they must have thought they’d chase it down easily. That kind of thinking shows arrogance, and in cricket, if you approach the game like that, it can backfire. Their bowling attack also wasn’t as strong as India’s," he said.
The 74-year-old signed off with confidence that the way Gill and Co. are performing, India have high chances of sealing the series.
"I believe India have a good chance of winning the series. The way the team is performing, it’s not going to be easy for England," he concluded.
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