"Thank you" - Kevin Pietersen reacts as Shubman Gill slams impressive century on Day 3 of IND vs ENG 2nd Test
Kevin Pietersen was mighty impressed by Team India top-order batter Shubman Gill's batting exploits on Day 3 of the ongoing second Test against England in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, February 4.
Gill faced a lot of flak following a few underwhelming performances in red-ball cricket. The 24-year-old silenced his critics by stepping up under pressure and delivering a stunning 104-run knock in India's second innings in Visakhapatnam.
Pietersen, who had earlier urged fans to be a little more patient with Gill, was pleased to see the youngster notch up his third Test century. Reacting to the knock, the former England captain wrote on the microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter):
"Thank you, @ShubmanGil."
Shubman Gill's innings was crucial for the Men in Blue, given that the remaining top-order batters failed to score big runs in the innings. India's No. 3 batter steadied the ship for the hosts with a clutch knock.
"He’s a serious player!" - Kevin Pietersen on Shubman Gill
Kevin Pietersen was among the few experts who came out in support of Shubman Gill after several fans questioned the batter's place in India's Test team.
The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out how legendary South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis too had a slow start to his Test career but ultimately went on to establish himself as one of the all-time greats.
Pietersen wrote on X:
"Kallis averaged 22 in his first 10 Tests and turned out to be arguably the greatest player to play the game. Give @ShubmanGill time to find it please. He’s a serious player!"
Shubman Gill registered scores of 23 and 0 in the Test series opener against England in Hyderabad. India suffered a heartbreaking 28-run loss in the encounter, failing to chase down a 231-run target in the fourth innings.
The talented batter got off to a decent start in the first innings of the ongoing second Test, scoring 34 runs off 46 balls. However, he failed to convert it into a big score.
Gill finally roared back to form in the subsequent essay, smashing his first Test century in 11 months.