The former Indian cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has candidly admitted that he was not in favor of Shubman Gill being named India’s Test captain over Jasprit Bumrah.
According to him, appointing Shubman Gill was not the “right decision” at the time, although he never doubted the youngster’s potential to succeed in the role. His remarks followed Shubman Gill’s impressive century on captaincy debut during the opening day of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test against England at Headingley.
On a day where India finished in a dominant position at 359 for 3, Shubman Gill led from the front with a remarkable unbeaten 127 off 175 balls. He shared key partnerships, including one with Rishabh Pant who ended the day on 65 not out, and benefitted from a powerful start given by Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 101 and KL Rahul’s 42.
Speaking on JioStar, Manjrekar recalled his initial concerns about Shubman Gill’s appointment, explaining that he had initially backed Jasprit Bumrah for the captaincy. He felt Jasprit Bumrah was the logical and experienced choice and hadn’t given much thought to long-term planning or grooming a younger leader at that moment. Despite this, he clarified that he never expected Shubman Gill to fail as a captain because his temperament has always been a strong suit.
Jasprit Bumrah himself recently confirmed that although he was part of the leadership discussions, he had requested the BCCI to excuse him from captaincy responsibilities for the England series. His body, still recovering from a major back injury sustained during the Australia tour, wouldn’t permit him to play five consecutive Tests.
Sanjay Manjrekar elaborated further on Gill’s suitability as captain, stating that the young batter’s calm disposition meant he wouldn’t allow the pressures of leadership to negatively affect his performance. However, he acknowledged there were still some uncertainties, especially considering Shubman Gill’s unproven record in overseas conditions. The concern wasn’t about temperament but whether the additional responsibility might be too much for someone still evolving as a consistent performer outside India.
Despite those initial reservations, Sanjay Manjrekar admitted that Shubman Gill’s technique on Day One had undergone visible refinement. He noted that Gill had successfully addressed three key technical flaws that had previously hampered his ability to convert starts into big scores abroad.
Although the conditions in Leeds were favorable, with a flat pitch and manageable bowling, Sanjay Manjrekar praised the batter’s compactness and poise, suggesting that once those technical barriers were removed, Shubman Gill’s mental strength and overall maturity naturally took over.
Well played, Shubman Gill!
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