Mark Butcher stirred debate during commentary at Edgbaston, remarking that if India had lost the second Test against England, it might have marked Shubman Gill’s last match as captain. His comments came in response to Ravi Shastri highlighting the unforgiving nature of Indian cricket fandom.
Toss Could’ve Made or Broken Careers
India’s decision to rest Jasprit Bumrah and pick two batting all-rounders was already under fire. And when Gill admitted after the toss that he too would’ve bowled first, critics sharpened their knives, expecting England to run away with the game.
Former head coach Ravi Shastri said England would’ve been let off for such a decision, but Gill wouldn’t have been afforded the same leniency.
“England would get away with this decision… If it were Gill, he wouldn’t have,” said Shastri.
“Might have been his last Test as captain,” Butcher replied.
Gill’s Heroics Rewrite the NNarrative
Instead of disaster, Gill produced a record-breaking 269 in the first innings and followed it with 161 in the second, becoming the first player in Test history to score both a double century and a 150 in the same match.
India piled on 587 in the first innings and bundled England out to seal a 336-run win, their biggest away Test victory in terms of runs. Akash Deep also starred with a 10-wicket haul in Bumrah’s absence.
Praise from Butcher for Calm Captaincy
Despite the earlier jibe, Butcher was full of admiration for Gill’s calm demeanor and leadership.
“There aren’t many jobs in world sport that come with as much pressure as being Indian captain… But Gill has taken to it like a duck to water,” Butcher said to PTI.
He also pointed out Gill’s technical brilliance and temperament, saying the young captain is well on his way to making history in the series.
Gill’s Series So Far: 585 Runs in 4 Innings
With 585 runs already in the series, Gill has stunned critics and reassured selectors that he’s more than capable of filling the massive shoes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
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