Top-order needs to be more responsible, says India skipper Shubman Gill ahead of the second Test at Edgbaston.
Gill wants top-order to take ‘more responsibility’ after Leeds loss.
India’s captain, Shubman Gill, has placed the responsibility for not giving up starts on these flat surfaces in England on the batters, starting with himself, after the lower-order collapsed twice in the first Test match against England in Leeds. India lost 7 for 41 and 6 for 31 after being 430 for 3 and 340 for 4, respectively, and were unable to bat England out of the match on both occasions. Even though they moved into positions where a draw should have been their worst outcome, they ultimately lost by five wickets on the last night.
“When we were batting, I felt I could have, now looking back at it… the kind of shot I played, I felt I could have batted a little bit more, added another 50 runs with Rishabh [Pant],” Gill said when asked what lessons he learnt from his captaincy debut. “That was my learning from when I was batting.”
When Gill attempted to hit Shoaib Bashir in the air at 147, he ended up dragging it to the leg side of the deep fielder. The lower order then launched some ostentatious shots that failed to land. Gill was questioned about if the lower order had been consulted on responsible batting. Once more, he focused greater attention on the hitters and himself.
“Definitely [chats have been had],” Gill said. “It’s been one of the things that we always talk about, especially with our batting depth… the lower order sometimes isn’t able to contribute as much as the other teams.
“Having said that, you can also look at the other side as well. I was batting on 147 and the way I got out, maybe I could have scored 50 more in partnership with Rishabh. If you get a good ball and you get out, that’s fine, but once you are set and you know that you don’t really have that much depth in your batting order, maybe the top order could take a little bit more responsibility and bat the opposition completely out of the game. So I think these are different perspectives to look at the game, but definitely your lower order when your last five or six don’t contribute as much, then it becomes easier for the opposition to come back in the game.”