Ricky Ponting Comments on Shubman Gill's Leadership Style During Lord's Test
Ponting Analyzes Gill's Aggressive Stance
Ricky Ponting, the renowned batting icon, remarked that Shubman Gill's assertive demeanor during the recent Test match at Lord's against England was somewhat unexpected. However, he interpreted it as a sign of a captain defending his team.
The match was filled with tension, particularly highlighted by a heated exchange between Gill and the English opening batsmen as the third day drew to a close.
India had successfully matched England's first innings score of 387 and aimed to complete two overs within the last six minutes of play. Unfortunately, the English openers took their time, leading to a verbal confrontation between Gill, Zak Crawley, and Ben Duckett.
Ponting acknowledged that Gill's behavior was surprising based on his previous demeanor. He stated, "That was a little out of character from what I’ve known from Shubman in the past. I am sure everyone that was there watching it and I know you would know him quite well, that’s not what he’s generally like," during an interview with The ICC Review.
Despite this, Ponting expressed understanding for Gill's actions, suggesting it was a young captain asserting his authority in a challenging situation. He noted, "That’s the captain standing up for his team, that’s a captain really wanting to show that it’s his team now and this is the way that we’re going to play the game, and also, I guess, wanting to give a little bit back."
India ultimately lost the match by 22 runs, trailing the series 1-2, with the final Test set to commence on Wednesday. Ponting compared Gill's approach to that of former captain Virat Kohli.
He commented, "I think that’s him starting to put his stamp on his team. And a lot like Virat (Kohli) did, similar ways like that. Rohit (Sharma) probably was never as outwardly aggressive, I guess, especially to opposition players."
Ponting, who has played in England on four different tours, including two as captain in 2005 and 2009, acknowledged the unique pressures of such high-stakes matches. He remarked, "The UK can be a hard place to play. The crowds, as much as they love their game, can be as hostile a place to play as anywhere in the world. The media there, when you’re in a big series, when it’s an Ashes series or when it’s England and India, the media always feel like they’re right on top of your back as well."