 "Sachin Tendulkar has praised the way Shubman Gill has performed as India's new Test captain. Images: AP")
Sachin Tendulkar has lauded Shubman Gill’s captaincy as the Indian cricket team started its third Test against England at Lord’s on Thursday. After India lost the first Test at Headingley, the experts, including Nasser Hussain that suggested that there was a lack of clarity on who was leading the team, but Gill and Co bounced back handsomely, historically winning the Edgbaston Test and levelling the five-match series 1-1.
Gill scored 430 runs in the Edgbaston Test, the highest by an Indian in a single match. Overall, Gill had also scored a century at Headingley, his first Test hundred in England and his first as the captain.
‘Gill’s batting has been special’
Cricketing great Sachin Tendulkar, who is present at Lord’s, praised Gill for his “calm and composed” captaincy and added that his batting complements his leadership.
“He’s been good. He’s very calm and composed and I strongly believe that how the rest of the 10 players also react to whatever decision he has taken has been measured decisions, well thought of. His batting is complementing that as well because if a captain is in good form, it makes a huge difference on decision making. You need to be in the right frame of mind to make those important calls. He’s been batting brilliantly,” Tendulkar told Star Sports.
“As an opposition, normally, you know they look to find weak areas in your batting. When your technique at this point of time, has been remarkable. Whatever I have seen, it’s been special. I am very happy you know the way we came back in the series in the second Test match after that disappointment in the first Test match,” he added.
Meanwhile, England are 83/3 at Lunch on Day 1 of the third Test at Lord’s after Ben Stokes won the toss and opted to bat.
India have included Jasprit Bumrah in their playing XI in place of Prasidh Krishna, while Jofra Archer replaced Josh Tongue for the hosts.
Also, a new portrait of Tendulkar was unveiled at the MCC Museum in Lord’s , ahead of the 3rd Test.