Alyssa Healy, Australia’s women’s cricket captain, stated that England could benefit from putting pressure on Indian captain Shubman Gill, implying that he may be less comfortable when confronted with aggressive opposition tactics.
Her remarks came in the wake of Gill’s on-field exchanges with England opener Zak Crawley during the third Test at Lord’s, which received widespread attention. Despite reaching three century in his first two encounters, Gill struggled at Lord’s, scoring only 22 runs in both innings. When he came out to bat, the English bowlers constantly targeted him with aggressive sledging, as if to disturb his focus.
“I’ve read that when teams go hard at (Shubman) Gill, it might unsettle him a little.
So if England has even a chance at that, that’s exactly what will happen; knowing how effective he was in those first two Test matches, there’s a way to get under his skin a little bit,” Healy remarked on the Willow Talk podcast.
Healy remarked that opponent teams frequently take an aggressive approach against the 25-year-old batter, putting pressure on the entire Indian squad, as he is now the captain. The Australian international urged that England continue to put as much pressure on India’s captain as possible in order to shake his confidence.
“Teams usually go hard at the captain. If you can get the skipper for a low price or get under their skin and rattle a few cages, you’ll feel like you’re on track. So, if England detects even a hint of weakness, they will exploit it. “They’ll go hard,” Healy stated.
Healy advised England to take a traditionally Australian style, including sledging and gritty, competitive cricket to put opponents under strain. She intimated that this plan would put Gill’s temperament to the test, especially since the series was on the line.
The fourth Test between England and India will begin on July 23 at Old Trafford in Manchester. With England leading the five-match series 2-1, India will look to tie it at 2-2 and force a decider in the last match.
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