'I had to calm Virat Kohli down from dressing room': Shastri's stern message to Gambhir on handling Shubman Gill

Ravi Shastri spoke in detail about the need for effective communication with Indian captain Shubman Gill amid criticism over his captaincy in Manchester.

Team India remains in trouble in the fourth Test in Manchester after England posted a mammoth 669 in the first innings. The visitors lost two wickets in the second innings without adding a run before KL Rahul (87*), along with captain Shubman Gill (78*), led the rescue act and provided India stability – and hope – as they live to fight another day. The danger hasn't been evaded yet, with India still trailing by 137 in the second innings.

Manchester: India's captain Shubman Gill along with head coach Gautam Gambhir and a support staff inspects the pitch (PTI)

While Gill was solid with the bat on Day 4, his captaincy drew significant criticism throughout the Manchester Test. Gill's decisions on the field ignited strong reactions, with the flashpoint being Washington Sundar's delayed arrival with the ball. Sundar picked four wickets in the second innings of the Lord's Test but didn't bowl until after 60 overs, which left many scratching their heads.

Team India's tentativeness on the field at times, and Gill's choice of rotation with bowlers also drew stark criticism. Amid the questions on the youngster's captaincy, Ravi Shastri, the former Indian head coach, has urged the team management led by Gautam Gambhir, as well as the senior team members, to step up and help Gill.

“I'll give an example of Virat. He was the other way round as far as Gill [is concerned]. He was ultra-aggressive, where you had to, at times, calm him down from the dressing room. It was as if he wanted five wickets every session. That doesn't happen. Sometimes, you've got to respect conditions and set fields accordingly,” Shastri told Sky Sports Cricket.

“That's why team management becomes crucial. For Shubman Gill, it should be [the case] for his first year. The senior team members… they have to start being accountable, they have to have their own ideas. That should come from the bowlers as well, rather than the captain going to them. They've played 50-60 Test matches. That's what Stokes does; he wants to disrupt things and find ways to break partnerships.”

A forgettable outing with the ball

Earlier, England posted a mammoth 669 in their first innings, their second-highest total against India, with Ben Stokes scoring a brilliant 141 after his five-wicket haul. India now face a stiff challenge on the final day to avoid defeat.

Four Indian bowlers conceded 100-plus runs in the innings, the first such instance since the 2014/15 Australia tour. This also marks just the seventh time in Test history that a team has secured a 300-plus first-innings lead despite conceding 350 or more while bowling first.