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Shubman Gill’s attitude questioned in Lord’s defeat; Ben Stokes held up as example: ‘When things got spicy, he didn’t…’
Michael Vaughan questioned Shubman Gill’s attitude after Lord’s loss, saying the India skipper lacked calm and composure in the second innings.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan questioned India skipper Shubman Gill's attitude in the team's 22-run loss at Lord's. The defeat saw India trail in the five-match Test series by 1-2. Earlier, India won in Birmingham by 336 runs in the second Test after losing the series opener last week by five wickets in Leeds.
Gill has been in sublime touch in the series, scoring over 600 runs in just six innings, which included the record-breaking outing of 430 runs at Edgbaston. However, in his column in 'The Telegraph', Vaughan said that the 25-year-old didn't look as "technically tight" and lacked the usual calm when he walked out to bat in the second innings of the third Test. The India captain managed scores of just 16 and 6 in London as India were defeated.
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Vaughan highlighted that the on-field clash between the two teams had fired up England, but Gill looked nervy during the second innings, just an evening after he had charged at Zak Crawley twice during the home team's second innings.
"When things got spicy on the third evening, I felt that brought the best out of England for the remainder of the game. Shubman Gill did not look as technically tight or calm as usual when he came out to bat on the fourth evening, but his team fought so hard on Monday in a fabulous Test," he wrote.
Vaughan further held up Ben Stokes as an example, saying that his never-say-die- attitude helped England aim a victory at Lord's, despite India having dominated through the major parts of the Test match.
"England have never had a captain quite like Ben Stokes. One who just does not accept when he is beaten, one who does not accept his team are having a bad week, and can drag a game back his way through sheer skill and force of will," said the former Test stalwart.
Stokes made a crucial contribution in the match, having picked up five wickets and scored 77 runs across two innings, the most significant of them being inflicting the run out of Rishabh Pant in the first innings, which game the turning point in the Test.
"It was Stokes who stuck with Joe Root on the first evening to ensure they toughed out a score. It was Stokes who pulled off that brilliant run-out before lunch on day three, when India were taking control of the game.
"And it was Stokes who picked up key wickets in both innings, bowled that epic spell early on the last day, and then broke Jasprit Bumrah's resistance. He just knows how to win the biggest moments in Test matches," said Vaughan.
The fourth Test match will begin Test week in Manchester, where India will be fighting for survival, while England will be looking to wrap up the series.
