 "'You have got your tactics wrong': Shubman Gill draws scathing criticism from ex-India opener over captaincy")
Shubman Gill is facing questions over his captaincy after India lost control of Day 3 in the second Test against England at Edgbaston. Former India opener Aakash Chopra didn’t hold back and said that Gill’s field placements and bowling changes helped England bounce back into the match.
Harry Brook and Jamie Smith forged a much-needed 303-run stand for the sixth wicket after England suffered a top-order collapse in the first innings. Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj ran through the English top order in a brilliant spell that lasted 20-25 overs. However, Brook and Smith led England’s fightback in the middle overs and helped them avoid a follow-on by posting 407 runs.
Chopra slams Gill’s captaincy
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra said that India had a golden chance to push England out of the match early on Day 3. Mohammed Siraj dismissed both Joe Root and Ben Stokes in the second over of the day, putting England under huge pressure. But instead of staying aggressive, Chopra felt India allowed England to bounce back through Brook and Smith.
“When the third day started, Mohammed Siraj first dismissed Joe Root and then Ben Stokes. You had the chance to bury them in the ground. Bazball’s approach is to attack the opposition. So they started attacking, whether it was Harry Brook or Jamie Smith. Their thought process is that if it comes off, the opposition would do what they want, and that’s exactly how it played out,” Chopra said.
Chopra also said this wasn’t the first time Gill had made such mistakes. He pointed out that the Indian skipper made similar mistakes in the first Test match at Headingley. Chopra suggested that the team management must speak to Gill about these lapses and get his tactics right.
“As soon as they attacked, you spread the field a little and tried to set up a bouncer trap. 23 went in one over, and Prasidh Krishna was very expensive. They started attacking, and we went on the defensive. You conceded 172 runs in a session that you started with two wickets. You have got your tactics wrong. Shubman Gill needs to be spoken about as it has happened both at Headingley and here. He was seen following the ball a little,” he added.
“Another of India’s Achilles heels needs to be spoken about. I have already spoken about Prasidh Krishna. It’s our obsession with all-rounders. Washington Sundar played and scored runs as well, but what happened in the end? He, Jaddu and Nitish Kumar Reddy didn’t take any wickets,” Chopra said.
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