New Delhi: Indian Test skipper Shubman Gill would be expected to excel not just as a captain but as a batter as well when India take on England in the Test series. The opening match of the five-game series begins in Leeds on June 20 and Team India, which hasn’t won in England since 2007, would be aiming to mark the new beginning under a new skipper with a victory.
While Gill holds an exceptional record in the longest format of the game at home, similar can’t be said about his performance overseas. Though the challenge for Gill and Co. would be massive but they are all geared up to face the tough task against one of the strongest teams in the world. With a much better batting average and records at home, Gill would really want to give his best shot at the upcoming opportunity.
England would target Gill in particular
Meanwhile, ahead of the series opener at Headingly, former England batter Nick Knight has said that the English team, led by Ben Stokes, would be focusing on targeting Gill. Knight further said that no team in the world is more vulnerable than when its skipper is feeling under pressure.
In a conversation with TOI, Knight said that ‘I think that’s going to be pretty crucial because every side, and England will do it. You can bet your bottom dollar, England will do it. No side is more vulnerable than when its captain is feeling a little under pressure and vulnerable. That has a huge impact on the whole dressing room, right? So England will target Shubman Gill. England will try and knock him over. England will try and make him feel uncomfortable,’ Knight told.
Apart from this, Knight also pointed out at a technical flaw in Gill’s batting that the host team would love to exploit.
‘Well, when I’ve been out in India (for IPL commentary), I always highlight the same thing, really. Sometimes with Shubman, more so when you’re sort of a little lacking in confidence and striving for things a little bit for your form, sometimes that front leg just pushes across a little bit too much. And, therefore, the rotation of the body and accessing the ball and playing around that front pad. But of late, I haven’t seen that quite so much, if I’m brutally honest,’ Knight told news agency PTI.
Indian Test skipper Shubman Gill would be expected to excel not just as a captain but as a batter as well when India take on England in the Test series. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
