India’s young captain Shubman Gill earned massive praise from Mohammad Kaif after playing a match-saving knock in the fourth Test against England at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester.
After getting out for just 12 runs in the first innings, Shubman Gill made a stunning comeback in the second innings, helping India recover from early trouble against England.
The 25-year-old batter showed great patience and maturity as he scored 103 runs off 238 balls, hitting 12 boundaries in the second innings. His century came when India was in deep trouble at 0/2 on Day 4, with the match slipping away at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
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Mohammad Kaif hails Shubman Gill after Manchester fightback
Gill then joined hands with the opener KL Rahul, who scored a solid 90, and together they stitched a crucial 188-run partnership for the third wicket. The pair stood firm for more than three sessions, frustrating the English bowlers and bringing India back into the contest.
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After their game-changing stand, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja batted brilliantly to add an unbeaten 203-run stand, with both scoring centuries and ensuring the match ended in a draw, keeping India alive in the five-match Test series against England.
After the match, Mohammad Kaif was full of admiration for Shubman Gill’s calm and composed performance in the Manchester Test. The right-handed batter has been outstanding throughout the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. In just four Test matches, Gill has scored a massive 722 runs at an average of 90.25, leading the batting chart in the series.
Shubman Gill realized his mistake of trying to impersonate Virat Kohli: Mohammad Kaif
Kaif also pointed out how Shubman Gill looked more comfortable in his role as captain in the Manchester Test. Unlike the Lord’s Test, where he seemed to be imitating Virat Kohli’s aggressive style, Gill stayed true to his own calm approach and led the team with confidence and composure.
He was referring to Shubman Gill’s fight with Zak Crawley at Lord’s. Mohammad Kaif said on his YouTube channel, “In this test, you must have seen that whenever the camera zoomed in on him, he was calm. He realized his mistake of trying to impersonate Virat Kohli… He realized his calm nature, and it transpired in his batting. He showed that he has temperament.”
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Mohammad Kaif slams Kuldeep Yadav’s snub, says India can’t win the Oval Test without him
The former Indian batter also believes not playing Kuldeep Yadav in the Manchester Test was a big mistake, and now, he strongly feels the wrist-spinner must play in the fifth and final Test at The Oval, no matter what the pitch conditions are.
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With India trailing 1-2 in the Test series, Kaif stressed that the Indian team must win at The Oval to level the series, for which they need to take 20 wickets. Kaif explained, “Kuldeep Yadav not playing was a huge mistake in Manchester… You needed a left-arm spinner. I think he will play the next Test match at The Oval because India is 1-2 behind in the series.”
He signed off by saying, “You have to win the Oval Test. If you lose it, then you’ll lose the series. You have to win to level the series; you can’t even draw. To win, you need 20 wickets. To bag 20 wickets, you’ve to play better bowlers in the XI. You need Kuldeep Yadav in the next Test match regardless of the conditions, seam, or overcast.”
