The Lord’s Test between India and England wasn’t just a contest of skills—it became a psychological battlefield, especially for India’s newly appointed Test captain, Shubman Gill. According to former cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar, England’s players crossed the line with “personal attacks” directed at Gill, picked up on the stump microphone during India’s second innings.
When you’re 25 and leading the Indian Test team, pressure is part of the package. While Gill has handled the batting responsibility with flair—racking up big scores and showing promise—the captaincy brings a different kind of test. And this one came in the form of a verbal assault from the opposition.
Manjrekar: Gill Looked Rattled by the Sledging
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s Match Day, Manjrekar expressed concern about how Gill handled the situation compared to someone like Virat Kohli, who thrives on confrontation.
“The thing with Virat Kohli was that he would get even more fired up and become a better batter [if things got nasty]. What disappointed me with Shubman Gill… that seemed like it didn’t have the right effect on Gill, the batter,” Manjrekar said.
Manjrekar believes Gill was visibly unsettled.
“He came out looking very tentative and… we are privy to the stump mic, and we could hear the things being said. There were some personal attacks made. This could be a new experience for Gill because these days, with Indian players, there’s mostly a friendly reception from a lot of foreign teams. So this was new territory.”
A Tough Day with the Bat at Lord’s
Gill entered the Lord’s Test with confidence, having already scored two centuries and nearly 600 runs in the series. But things didn’t go his way in the second innings. The ball was hard, the conditions challenging, and England’s bowlers—and fielders—were in his ear from the first delivery.
He survived a close DRS call for caught behind early on but was eventually trapped LBW by Brydon Carse after misjudging an in-dipper. His struggle was in stark contrast to the poise he’d shown earlier in the series.
“These were good deliveries, but he’s negotiated them beautifully all series. Suddenly, he was missing balls. There was a review, then a leg-before. Going through Gill’s defense has been hard work. He’s hardly missed a ball. Suddenly, in about nine deliveries, he missed four. I have no doubt there is a connection there,” Manjrekar pointed out.
India Falter Despite Lower-Order Resistance
India’s second-innings chase of 193 ended in a narrow 22-run defeat, with Gill’s early dismissal adding pressure. While the lower order—featuring Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj—put up a brave fight, it wasn’t enough to prevent England from taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
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