Sunil Gavaskar thinks Shubman Gill missed a golden chance to embarrass Ben Stokes. The cricket legend got frustrated watching England bat for way too long. Gavaskar wanted Gill to ask tough questions about England’s slow decision-making during interviews.
India managed to draw the Manchester Test after looking completely dead and buried. KL Rahul, Gill, Jadeja, and Sundar batted like heroes to save the match. Their gutsy performance kept India’s series hopes alive for the Oval showdown.
England had scored a massive 669 runs and looked certain to win easily. They built a huge 311-run lead after bowling India out for just 358. Most people thought the match was over right there and then.
Gill Should Have Been Bolder
Gavaskar really wanted Gill to challenge Stokes during the post-match press conference. The young captain should have asked why England didn’t declare earlier. That would have put Stokes in a really awkward spot, definitely.
“Why did England take a lead of 311? Why not declare after 240 or 250? Once Stokes got his hundred, why didn’t they give their bowlers an extra hour?” Gavaskar said.
The cricket legend remembered Stokes talking about chasing big targets before this series. But England couldn’t even chase 600-plus runs when they had the chance earlier. Gavaskar saw the irony in Stokes’ previous bold statements about run chases.
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India’s draw proves they can handle pressure when everything looks hopeless. This resilience gives them real confidence heading into the final Test match.
Gavaskar Gets Mad About England’s Tactics
The former Indian captain couldn’t understand why England batted for so long unnecessarily. Stokes should have declared much earlier after reaching his personal century milestone. This slow approach probably cost England a sure victory in the end.
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Gavaskar pointed out that India lost only four wickets in five batting sessions. That shows how much time England wasted by not declaring their innings sooner. Smart captains know when to take risks and put pressure on opponents.
England’s overly cautious approach backfired badly when India dug in with determination. The visitors showed incredible fighting spirit during their second innings marathon effort.
