‘The ovation he received from English crowd’ – Shubman Gill has Englishmen in awe after Manchester ton

Skipper Shubman Gill ensured India’s continued participation in the competition, while former England batsman Jonathan Trott couldn’t help but appreciate the ovation he received from English fans at Old Trafford after being removed. Gill continued his purple patch in the series with a superb century in India’s second innings of the fourth Test.

Trott praised Gill’s rugged character, which was on display during his partnership with KL Rahul under immense strain, for allowing him to recover from recent criticisms about his performance during the previous meeting at Lord’s. The cricketer-turned-commentator also stated that the Indian skipper had improved on his recent weaknesses with the bat and demonstrated a significantly improved skill set during the second innings.

“One thing that jumped out to me was the applause he received as he walked off — not just from Indian fans, who were clearly in large numbers, but also from English fans. Yes, they were relieved he had been dismissed, but they also admired his resilience and class, particularly after recent difficulties. “That says a lot about his character,” he told JioHotstar.

“It was just one of those mistakes—you can forgive that type of dismissal. Gill was able to adjust to the varying bounce. Whether the ball stayed low or bounced high, he was in command because he put himself in much better positions this inning. In previous games, we’ve seen him caught on the crease, hesitant in decision-making, or go out LBW. But this time, his footwork was precise, and when your feet move properly, your balance follows, allowing you to respond more effectively to any unforeseen movement,” he explained.

Shubman Gill will gain a lot of confidence from this blow. Manjrekar

Sanjay Manjrekar, an ex-India cricketer, too praised Gill’s knock in India’s second innings of the fourth Test in the present five-match series against England. Manjrekar said Gill’s 103-run knock will serve as a confidence booster going forward. The former hitter noted the ball that removed Gill during the opening session of the fifth day, and praised Ben Stokes for sticking to a constant channel.

“When Shubman Gill reached his hundredth, the question is whether he relaxed. But that could be a little harsh. The second new ball was bound to strike at least one batter, and unfortunately for India, it turned out to be Gill. Ben Stokes bowled an excellent stint today. He applied pressure, and his delivery to Gill was exceptional. Still, this was a fantastic innings from a young player under pressure, and he should be quite confident as a result,” he remarked.

“The first 30 minutes would always be India’s biggest challenge. India needed to effectively do a factory reset and regain the mindset and rhythm they shown when batting yesterday. It’s never easy. The second new ball was going to be a challenge, and that’s exactly how things turned out. They lost KL Rahul early, and when the second new ball was taken, the pressure increased,” Manjrekar said.

Gill has been India and the series’ leading run-getter so far. He has scored 722 runs in eight innings so far. The 430-run aggregate which he amassed in the second Test at Edgbaston shattered several records.