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Former cricketer Madan Lal praised Shubman Gill for his leadership and performance, leading India to a historic 336-run win at Edgbaston.
Madan Lal joined the plaudits coming Shubman Gill’s way. (Picture Credit: AP)
Former India cricketer Madan Lal heaped praise on Shubman Gill for managing the pressure of being a Test captain, highlighting his leadership and performance that led the team to victory.
India entered the second Test at Edgbaston with a history of never having won a Test match at the venue. Gill guided India to a historic 336-run win, scoring a record 430 runs in the match. This triumph in Birmingham also marks India’s largest away Test win in terms of runs.
After a five-wicket defeat in the series opener in Leeds, India’s bowling and fielding faced criticism. However, the visitors made a strong comeback in the second Test, bowling out England for 271 on the final day with more than a session to spare, levelling the series 1-1.
“India dominated both Test matches. They lost the first one mainly due to poor fielding; otherwise, they performed well. The bowling department did an excellent job – our bowling was far superior to England’s. In the last match, we bowled a bit short, which allowed them (England) to chase down the target.
“Shubman Gill is the talk of the town; he’s leading from the front. This boy is amazing. There’s pressure in life, but the pressure of being a team captain is different – you carry responsibilities, you’re expected to deliver results, and at the same time, you have to take care of your own performance. He managed both aspects really well.
“But it’s not just about Gill – it’s also about Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul in the first Test, Jaiswal and Jadeja. When you perform like this, you give yourself every chance of winning,” Madan Lal told IANS.
The former cricketer also observed that host England appeared overconfident after their victory in the first Test, pointing to their decision to invite India to bat first at Edgbaston.
“I think England were overconfident. After winning the toss, they let India bat first on such a good wicket – they must have thought they’d chase it down easily. That kind of thinking shows arrogance, and in cricket, if you approach the game like that, it can backfire. Their bowling attack also wasn’t as strong as India’s,” he said.
The 74-year-old concluded with confidence that the way Gill and his team are performing, India have a strong chance of sealing the series.
“I believe India have a good chance of winning the series. The way the team is performing, it’s not going to be easy for England,” he concluded.
With IANS Inputs
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