Gill’s Personal high, but collective low

Exactly six months back, Shubman Gill was left out of the Indian team for the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the MCG. Dropped. Banished to the sidelines. After scores of 31 and 28 in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide (he missed the Perth victory with a broken finger) and one in Brisbane, his was the first name on the chop list when India decided to bring back off-spinner Washington Sundar to partner Ravindra Jadeja.

Replaced Rohit in Sydney

Gill’s stint on the outer lasted just one week. He was back in business for the New Year’s Test in Sydney, replacing misfiring skipper Rohit Sharma in the playing XI. No one knew at the time that there was more than mere symbolism to that move.

Last month, Gill succeeded Rohit as captain, following the latter’s retirement from the five-day game. India’s fifth youngest skipper hadn’t led a lot at the first-class level — five matches — but Ajit Agarkar’s selection panel saw in him one for not just the now but also the tomorrow, entrusting him at 25 to run the ship once it became clear that Jasprit Bumrah would potentially miss as many matches as he played to keep his body from giving up on him.

Gill couldn’t have asked for a more demanding assignment than a five-Test tour of England to get his stint underway. In 93 years, India had won only nine Tests and three series here, the last of them 21 years back under Rahul Dravid. He was at the helm of a batting line-up in which several — Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Karun Nair — hadn’t had any taste of Test cricket in England. And he himself had yet to register a ton outside Asia in 13 Tests.

As if he needed another challenge, Gill dropped himself down to No. 4, a position he hadn’t occupied previously in Test cricket and which has been manned almost exclusively for three decades by Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. Pressure? What pressure?

Gill’s first five days as Test captain were bitter-sweet, a mixed bag of personal high and collective low. He stroked a mellifluous century in the first innings in Leeds, slipping effortlessly into his unfamiliar twin roles, eked the best out of Bumrah, but saw numerous catches put down as England finished within six of India’s 471. But on the last day, which England began needing a further 350 for victory, he looked a little lost and short on ideas, though he did shed some of the ball-chasing ways of the first innings when his inexperience shone through.

Be your own man

There is no doubting that Gill will become a better leader and tactician with greater practice, so it is imperative to cut him slack. But it is also incumbent upon him to assert himself on the park, to seek counsel from his deputy Rishabh Pant and the seasoned KL Rahul, but be his own man. After all, that’s why he is the chosen one, right?

756
No. of runs scored by Shubman Gill in last 10 Tests @ 47.25

This article first appeared on Mid Day