"To keep his cool, speaks very highly of Gill’s temperament" - Sunil Gavaskar heaps praise on batter for final innings heroics in 4th Test
Legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar has praised Shubman Gill's outstanding temperament in the final innings of the fourth Test against England in Ranchi.
Chasing a tricky 192 on a wearing wicket, India sunk from 84/0 to 120/5 during the second session on Day 4. However, the 24-year-old was unfazed and scored a match-winning 52* off 124 deliveries to help the side pull off a five-wicket win.
The result meant India took an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-Test series with a game to spare.
Speaking to India Today after the hosts' famous win, Gavaskar complimented Gill's temperament and expressed his delight at seeing that attribute from the youngsters.
"To keep his cool, speaks very highly of Gill’s temperament. I have always said that it’s temperament that separates men from boys. And our youngsters are becoming men and that’s such a heartening aspect as far as Indian cricket is concerned," said Gavaskar.
"To come out with the 2 innings that he did, particularly the innings he played today, was not easy. Ben Stokes’ field placements were outstanding. He made it look as if India were chasing 150 and not 192," he added.
Gill stitched together an unbeaten 72-run sixth-wicket partnership with wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel to settle the Indian neves as the latter scored the winning runs.
Gill had endured an extended rough patch in Test cricket since his century against Australia at Ahmedabad. He went 12 innings without a half-century before his 104 in the second Test of the ongoing England series.
"Everybody’s expectations were high" - Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar felt the disappointment in Shubman Gill's recent poor form stemmed from the high expectations set by the young batter at the beginning of his career.
The 24-year-old enjoyed a tremendous start to his Test career, scoring 259 runs in three games at an average of almost 52 in the 2020-21 tour of Australia. Gill's ODI numbers - a stunning average of 61.37 and a strike rate of 103.46 - have further added to the lofty expectations of him.
"His performances, not just here, but when he started his international career, have been so good that everybody’s expectations were high. When that happens, people start questioning when you get a couple of low scores," said Gavaskar.
Gill regained his best form in Tests again with the second innings century in Vizag followed by an unbeaten 91 in Rajkot before the match-winning 52* in the recently concluded Ranchi Test.
Despite the series result determined, crucial World Test Championship (WTC) points will be at stake when Team India and England square off in the final Test at Dharamsala, starting March 7.