IND vs ENG: 'A deliberate attempt' - Former India wicketkeeper on Shubman Gill's outburst; backs Sai Sudharsan call
Shubman Gill
's confrontational stance during the ongoing England Test series has triggered mixed reactions, but former India wicketkeeper
Parthiv Patel
believes the young captain's actions were well within limits.
Lauding Gill's assertiveness, Patel said the skipper has shown encouraging signs of leadership and maturity.
Gill made headlines during the Lord's Test when he exchanged words with England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, who took over 90 seconds to take the field before the final two overs of day three. India had matched England's first-innings score of 387 and aimed to get in two overs before stumps, but were denied due to the delay.
Gill later described the act as 'not in the spirit of the game.'
Backing Gill's response, Patel said, 'No, it's not (surprising). We've seen him do this in the IPL too. This sport is about expressing emotions as long as you don't cross the line, and I don't think Shubman crossed the line at all.'
He further pointed to the double standards around the "spirit of the game" narrative: 'It was clear how slowly the English batsmen were walking in.
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Teams like England, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa often use the term 'spirit of the game' conveniently. So, there was nothing wrong with Gill asking the English media if it's okay to come to bat 90 seconds late. That was a deliberate attempt,' he added, as quoted by PTI.
'He was in a lot of pain': Sai Sudharsan admits Rishabh Pant's absence could hurt India
Assessing Gill's captaincy, Patel said: 'This is new to him and he's improving. With Gujarat Titans, whatever I've observed about him, he's been very assertive.
He knows what he wants. He's very clear with his plans and ideas... he is on the right path.'
Switching to India's batting choices, Patel weighed in on Sai Sudharsan's return to the XI for the fourth Test. The left-hander scored a composed 61 after being dropped for Karun Nair in the second and third Tests.
'Despite good domestic seasons, Nair couldn't convert starts into big scores. Now India is backing a youngster, which is fine...
Sai made the most of his opportunity with a fifty. Knowing him, he'd be disappointed not to have converted it into a hundred.'
Poll
Should India prioritize young players like Sai Sudharsan over experienced players?
Yes, youth brings fresh energy
No, experience is crucial
On whether Sai could be a regular across formats, Patel said, 'The potential is immense. We've seen him bat with conviction in the IPL, winning the Orange Cap and striking at a high rate. He's shown promise in Test
cricket
too.'
Patel also urged India to find space for Kuldeep Yadav in the XI. 'The team seems to prefer an extra batter, which is why Kuldeep isn't finding a place. But I believe India should find room for him to have four attacking bowlers,' argued the former wiicketkeeper-batsman.
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