Moeen Ali Praises Shubman Gill's Leadership, Calls Him A Future Star Captain
Gill, just 25, has impressed Moeen with both his batting and his vocal presence on the field. His leadership qualities have come to the fore in a high-pressure series, where he hasn't just captained the side, but also led from the front with the bat.
'Shubman is shaping up to be a very fine captain. The way he's leading with the bat is crucial, especially when you're captaining India. That's what stands out,' Moeen said during an interaction with ANI.
Gill's Stellar Batting Display in England
From Leeds to Birmingham, Gill has been a thorn in England's bowling plans. In just two Tests, he scored 458 runs, including three centuries, one of which was a career-best 269. His consistency has been one of the highlights of the tour. While leading India, Gill's animated presence has also been picked up by stump mics, revealing his assertive style. Moeen believes such personality traits, coupled with solid performances, make Gill a strong candidate for long-term captaincy.
Tensions and Fire Return to Test Cricket
The ongoing series hasn't been without drama. Tempers flared during the third Test, with Gill at the center of a heated exchange involving players from both teams. Moeen believes this fiery edge has re-energized the format. 'It's been brilliant to watch. There's intensity, aggression, but also mutual respect. This kind of competitive spirit has been missing in Test cricket for a while,' Moeen said.
Jadeja-Washington Pair Offers India a Strategic Edge
India's use of two spin-bowling all-rounders, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, has also caught Moeen's attention. He called Jadeja one of the world's best, and expressed confidence that Washington will grow into the role vacated by Ravichandran Ashwin. 'Jadeja has been outstanding for years. Washington has big shoes to fill, but his potential is obvious, especially with the bat. The more he plays, the better he'll get,' said Moeen.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
25 minutes ago
- First Post
'Prince' surpasses 'King': Gill breaks Kohli's record while rescuing India from horrid start at Old Trafford
Shubman Gill broke the record for most runs in a Test series by an Indian captain en route to his unbeaten 78 which, along with KL Rahul's 87 not out, helped India recover from 0/2 down with a 311-run deficit and end the day on a relatively stable 174/2. read more India captain Shubman Gill bats on Day 4 of the fourth Test against England at the Old Trafford, Manchester. AP Captain Shubman Gill regained his form after a hat-trick of low scores in the ongoing Test series against England, scoring a defiant half-century and forging a solid third-wicket partnership with opener KL Rahul to help India recover from a woeful start. Gill was batting on 78 with Rahul on 87 as India reached 174/2 after 63 overs at close of play on Day 4 of the fourth Test at Manchester's Old Trafford, making a strong recovery after losing two wickets without opening their account. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Gill surpasses Kohli's 655 runs against England in 2016 Gill, in the process, added another feather to his cap in what has been a memorable maiden series as India Test captain. The 25-year-old broke the record for most runs by an Indian Test captain in a single series, which had belonged to batting legend Virat Kohli – his predecessor at the No 4 spot in the format – until Saturday. Kohli's tally of 655 runs, which Gill surpassed on the penultimate day of the ongoing Test in Manchester, also came in a five-match Test series against England, albeit on home soil in late 2016. The 36-year-old had collected two centuries and four half-centuries in that series, which the Indians ended up winning by a dominant 4-0 margin. More from First Cricket India vs England LIVE Score, 4th Test Day 4: Gill and Rahul show resilience as India end the day strongly at 174/2 Gill, on the other hand, has collected three centuries so far in the ongoing series – all of which were collected in the first two Tests – including a majestic 269 in the second Test at Edgbaston that played a key role in the dominant 336-run victory. Gill's a long way off from the all-time record for most runs in a Test series – with the legendary Don Bradman having remained unchallenged since he amassed 974 runs in the 1930 Ashes in England. The newly-appointed Test skipper, however, finds himself within touching distance of the record by an Indian batter, which remains in the possession of former captain Sunil Gavaskar for his 774 runs in four Tests in the his debut series – against West Indies in 1971. At stumps on the penultimate day of the Manchester Test, Gill's tally in the ongoing series stood at 685, meaning he needs less than 100 runs – 90 to be precise – to surpass 'Sunny G'.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
25 minutes ago
- First Post
RCB's home M. Chinnaswamy stadium declared 'unsafe' for large-scale events
Justice John Michael D'Cumha commission, which was appointed by the Karnataka government has deemed M. Chinnaswamy stadium 'unsafe' for large-scale events read more A still of capacity crowd at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium. AFP As per a finding made by Justice John Michael D'Cumha commission, the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru is incapable of hosting large-scale events safely. The commission was appointed by the Karnataka government to investigate the stampede that caused the death of 11 individuals and injured more than 50 during RCB's victory celebrations. The commission's report deemed the stadium's 'design and structure' inherently 'unsuitable and unsafe' for large crowds, warning that hosting high-attendance events there would pose 'unacceptable risks' to public safety, traffic, and emergency response. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Citing 'systematic limitations', the commission has also 'strongly recommended' that large-scale events be relocated to venues that are 'better suited' to handle significant crowds. 'Any future venue should adhere to international standards,' the report stated. More from First Cricket India vs England LIVE Score, 4th Test Day 4: Will Gill and Rahul hold their nerve and see out the day unbeaten? The commission strongly advised relocating large-scale events to more suitable venues, emphasising that future venues should meet international standards to handle crowds safely. The venue's future events are now uncertain, particularly with high-profile matches like the Women's ODI World Cup scheduled. As a temporary solution, the KSCA has decided to hold the upcoming Maharaja Trophy behind closed doors. Also Read | 'Bumrah may quit Test cricket': Kaif makes bold claim about pacer's future after struggle at Old Trafford Justice John Michael D'Cumha commission's findings The report outlined several key requirements that the Chinnaswamy Stadium lack. The stadium can be improved to provide, 'purpose-built queuing and circulation areas separated from public roads, sufficient entry and exit gates to manage mass ingress and egress, integrated access to public transport and nearby tourist hubs, comprehensive emergency evacuation plans in line with global safety norms and adequate parking and drop-off facilities to accommodate large volumes of attendees'. Also Read | 'It was a no-brainer': Ashwin slams Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir as India stare at another loss Brief about M. Chinnaswamy stadium Initially called the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), the M. Chinnaswamy stadium was established in 1969. It is named after M. Chinnaswamy, a prominent figure in Karnataka cricket. Having hosted its first Test match in 1974 and becoming the home ground for the Karnataka cricket team and IPL outfit Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the venue holds historic importance.
Hindustan Times
25 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Coaching national team black point in India: Marquez
Kolkata: Manolo Marquez thought he knew football in India. And then the national team happened. Manolo Marquez. (PTI) An ISL title followed by successive semi-final berths had made Marquez think that 'more or less I know Indian football'. By 2024, he also thought his 'capacity to improvise' was a lot better than when he first came to India as Hyderabad FC head coach in 2020. So, while on holiday in Canary Islands, Marquez applied for the national team's job after Igor Stimac was sacked. 'It was my dream,' he said. Soon, it curled leading to the mutual separation with All India Football Federation (AIFF) earlier this month. In eight matches as India head coach, five of them against countries lower in the FIFA ranking, Marquez had one win, four draws and three defeats. 'My time with the national team was very bad,' he told HT in a virtual interview from Goa on Saturday. 'The national team job is a black point in my career in India.' There were mistakes, he said. In his first press conference as India coach, Marquez said he had spoken of the need to find the correct group of players. 'But if you call 49 players in five FIFA windows, it means you never found the correct group. So, it's more about me.' Persuading Sunil Chhetri to end international retirement was not a mistake, he said. 'It was risky, yes. But we had problems in finding goals and he was scoring in ISL (Chhetri finished 2024-25 with 14 goals and two assists, the most by an Indian). He had a chance against Bangladesh and if he had scored, everything would have changed. Now, everyone can say that it was a mistake and I need to accept that. but I think that was not a mistake. He is a top professional and I was very satisfied to be able to count on him.' Could players have done anything different? 'I feel the players can arrive with more…' he paused, searching for the word. 'Pride. Pride to play in the national team.' Gouramangi Singh is in his staff at FC Goa and Marquez said speaking to the former India defender and other retired internationals, he was told 'that the feeling was a little bit different than now'. But that was not why the results were poor, he said. Marquez said he informed AIFF that he would not like to continue after the ISL play-offs in April and was told by national team director Subrata Paul that AIFF would not have time to find a replacement before the matches in June. 'I told him that it would be impossible to this a secret in the world of football.' 'As a player, the motivation is not the same when you know the coach will leave. I am not saying that is why we lost to Hong Kong, but I can tell you the training camp was difficult for me,' he said. India's 0-1 defeat to Hong Kong on June 10 was Marquez's last match. Soon after his first national team assignment soured, the Spaniard, 56, is looking forward to another first: of coaching in a continental competition. Back at FC Goa for his third season, on a one-year deal, Marquez will be in charge of the Asian Champions League 2 qualifier against Oman's Al-Seeb next month. 'This pre-season is different because everyone is nervous. My feeling is that ISL will happen but if it starts late there could be another consequence. You need 27 games to be eligible for Asian competition and a late start could mean matches every two, three days and that can be risky for the players.'
