It is natural for comparisons to be made in sport. When we refer to the younger Indian batters, it is safe to say the most prominent name he is compared to is Virat Kohli. He is a heavy crown to wear. Shubman Gill has lived with the anticipation associated with such comparisons for many years now, and many believe he is the future of Indian batting. However, there have been those, including former England captain Nasser Hussain who have had doubts.
Hussain always stated that regardless of Gill’s talent, he was not going to become some all-time great player like Virat Kohli. Hussain was steadfast in his opinion, before Gill had the opportunity to show that special moment of captaincy, a decisive ‘unthinkable’ moment that he presented to the world, which eventually resulted in Hussain changing his original opinion.
The Weight of Expectation
Shubman Gill’s class is easily distinguishable in his cover drives, and his elegant style. From the early days, everyone was already talking about him becoming some sort of star, and he was even nicknamed the ‘Prince’ of Indian cricket. At the same time, came great pressure. Every time he failed to deliver, just questions came up.
Is he the real deal? Can he handle the intensity at the highest level? The shadow of Virat Kohli is long. Kohli is associated with a fiery temperament, but it is his ability to hugely convert promising starts into large scores that people really associate him with.
Hussain’s comments on mental toughness resonate. He viewed Gill as a lovely player to watch, but questioned the fire in Gill’s belly to win games from bad situations. Gill had some poor scores in Test cricket.
The debate deepened. Pundits wondered whether his talent was more suited to the shorter formats of the game. Discussions were limitless, on every sporting show and online forum. Gill had to prove he was not just a flashy batter. He had to show he could be a winner.
A Daring Captaincy Call
It occurred during a tense test series at home. India were in a precarious position. The opposition were batting well, constructing a solid partnership, and a lethargic atmosphere engulfed the stadium.
Gill needed to try something. He had already tried his main bowlers. It wasn’t working. He made a call that surprised everyone. He threw it to Akash Deep. Akash had barely bowled, given this was one of his first few games. It was a huge gamble.
Giving the ball to a new bowler in a pressured situation is a risk. More bad overs could have taken the game away from India. The senior players watched this suspicion raised in the back of their mind. To their surprise, commentators, including Hussain, were vocal about their astonishment. Users on live scoring apps like Cricmatch were questioning the move online. That could have been a decision that defined a captain. Gill looked relaxed, talking to his young bowler and pinning him against an attacking field. He was going with his gut feeling.
The Unthinkable Comes to Pass
Akash Deep ran in. The first few balls came speedily and accurately. He was bowling with heart. Then it came, a perfect delivery that nipped back through the batsmen defence to clatter into the stumps. The crowd erupted.
One wicket turned to two and then three, as Akash Deep charged through the middle order empowered by his captain’s faith in him. The game changed completely in an instant. A one-sided affair was now in the semblance of a chance to win.
It was not all about taking wickets. It was about the way in which they were taken. Gill’s field placements were spot on. He had a slip, a gully, and a short leg waiting for the catch. He had a grasp of the moment and what his bowler could do. This was no ordinary hunch. This was an inspired captaincy performance.
It showed a cricket brain. People watching on Cricmatch365 witnessed a different side of Gill. He was no longer the ‘Prince’ with the bat, he was a shrewd leader who knew how to play mind games with the opposition.
Hussain Eats His Words
In the commentary box, Nasser Hussain was witnessing it all. He had been one of the biggest doubters. Now, he had to accept that he was wrong. He praised Gill’s brave decision. He went on to explain to millions of viewers about why this was so special. He pointed out that this was the mark of great leaders. The leaders that can see what others can’t.
Hussain did not merely endorse the decision, he doubled down on his previous assertion. He now admitted he was wrong to accuse Gill of not being Kohli. He put a finer point on his revised stance, suggesting Gill may not exhibit the same in-your-face aggression as Kohli.
His approach is certainly different, but he has the same will to win and intellect. He proved that he could win a match with his head, not just the bat in his hand. Gill is not the next Kohli, he is the first Shubman Gill. And that, Hussain thinks now, will be more than enough for India. This one event showed the world Gill was ready to craft his own success stories.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
1. Why is Shubman Gill compared to Virat Kohli so often?
Shubman Gill is often referred to as the ‘Prince of Indian cricket’ and is often seen as a natural successor to Virat Kohli, a player who has been at the forefront of the sport for more than a decade. Comparisons are made largely due to Gill’s elegant style of play and because of his immense potential, which has earmarked him for leadership from a young age. While Kohli is known largely for his aggression and incredible consistency, Gill has an even temperament. Statistically, Gill had accumulated more runs and had a higher batting average than Kohli at the same stage (in terms of first 50 ODI matches).
2. What were Nasser Hussain’s initial criticisms of Gill’s captaincy?
Former England captain, Nasser Hussain, was clearly reluctant to accept Gill’s captaincy at first. After India lost a Test Match at Headingley, Hussain remarked that Gill simply didn’t “have that sort of on-field aura” of previous captains such as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Hussain said Gill looked like he was “still working his way out still as a captain.”
3. What exactly did Gill do as captain that impressed Nasser Hussain?
Occuring during a Test match at Edgbaston, Shubman Gill made a strategic manipulation that gained Nasser Hussain’s affection. Gill used the bowler Akash Deep at a different bowling end than what may have been expected; it seemed such a minor change, yet it was effective. From that decision, Akash Deep picked up some very important wickets that turned the match around in India’s favour. Hussain pointed out it was a “really good decision” and that Gill “got most things spot-on” in that session of play.
