Despite carrying the added responsibilities of captaincy, Shubman Gill’s brilliant batting has left Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar thoroughly impressed.
Gavaskar was ready to see a record he set over five decades ago broken by Gill. Yet, that milestone remained intact by a mere 21 runs. Though Gill fell short of breaking the record, Gavaskar’s admiration for his performances on the England tour knows no bounds. The Indian batting great places more value on the young player’s achievements than on his own records.
Gill began his journey as India’s Test captain with the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series. In his very first series leading the side, he led from the front, scoring freely and guiding the team. Along the way, he set several records and milestones.
In the five-Test series against England, Gill scored four centuries and amassed 754 runs at an average of 75.40. So far, only two batsmen have surpassed the 500-run mark in this series, and no one has crossed 550 runs.
In the final innings of the last Test at The Oval, Gill had the chance to break Gavaskar’s record for the most runs scored by an Indian batsman in a single series. Gavaskar had set that record with 774 runs during his debut series against the West Indies in 1971—54 years ago.
To break the record, Gill needed just 32 runs in that last innings. However, he was dismissed LBW for 11 runs by Gus Atkinson on the first ball of the second session on day three. Even after reviewing, the right-handed batsman couldn’t save himself.
Gill’s stellar performance throughout the England tour earned high praise from Gavaskar. After the day’s play, the former batsman gifted the Indian captain a signed cap and shirt.
Speaking on a Sony Sports Network program, Gavaskar enthusiastically lauded Gill. He said that despite the extra burden of captaincy, Gill’s batting brilliance was truly remarkable.
“Yes, I expected him to break my record and had even prepared a gift for him. But everything is in the hands of the Creator. Still, 754 runs is extraordinary. The difference is, he has scored 754 runs while carrying the added responsibility of captaincy,” Gavaskar said.
“I was just a young player back then, so scoring or failing wasn’t a big deal. If I failed, no one would say anything loudly. Scoring 754 runs as a captain is a huge achievement. He has scored more than 750 runs, making a real difference for his team’s fortunes. Instead of thinking about falling short by those 20 runs, just appreciate what these 754 runs have contributed to Indian cricket.”
India went into the Oval Test trailing 2-1 in the series. At the end of day three in this series-deciding match, they find themselves in a strong position.
