For someone who wasn’t given much of a chance to create an impact ahead of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Shubman Gill has responded in some style. India’s new Test captain has taken to the England series like grabbing a bull by its horns, having burned up the charts. Gill is the leading run-scorer of the series, having plundered 722 runs, leaving behind a trail of records, and is on the verge of a couple more big ones. What a story it has been. From being questioned for his batting skills outside of India, to becoming the most standout batter of the series, Gill has come a long way, and it’s just his maiden series as captain.
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More importantly, Gill has adapted beautifully to the void left by Virat Kohli. The former India Test stalwart’s retirement meant that the No. 4 slot was left vacant. And Gill, who was earlier tried as opener and at No. 3, has more than done justice to the position, scoring three centuries and a double hundred to lead India by example. He may have lost all five tosses thus far, but despite training 1-2 in the series, the skipper has already learnt a lot in less than two months in his role as Test captain.
Varun Aaron fires a curveball
That Gill has grown exponentially in his first assignment – a big one – is a true testament to his character. But at the same time, the fact that it comes on the heels of Kohli walking away from Test cricket draws an interesting parallel. Former India pacer Varun Aaron weighed in on the same, expressing that captaincy takes a heavy toll mentally, and how it ages people multiple times than usual. Also, reacting to Kohli’s revelation that he now has to dye his beard, Aaron quipped at the former India captain.
“That’s what happens to all Indian captains. They come in with a full bunch of black hair and leave with a lot of salt and pepper. And then, some even dye their beard,” he said, triggering a laugh among the studio experts. “Shubman Gill has kind of come full circle; he is the Test team captain, has batted so well, more than 700 runs. Any words or phrases would fall short to describe his batting. This Test is going to define his legacy going forward as a captain,” Aaron said on the Sony Sports Network.
Kohli, who attended an event hosted by Yuvraj Singh last month, was asked about his decision to retire from Test cricket. While he did not address it in as many words, Kohli did mention, “I just coloured my beard two days ago. You know it’s time when you are colouring your beard every four days.”
