"Those who had doubts over Gill’s talent don’t understand cricket" - Gautam Gambhir slams critics after India draw 4th ENG vs IND 2025 Test

Head coach Gautam Gambhir slammed critics of skipper Shubman Gill after India drew the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford in Manchester on Sunday, July 27. Reacting to the skepticism around Gill in the build up to the Test series, Gambhir said that those questioning him do not understand cricket.

There were a few question marks over Gill ahead of the England tour following his below par performance in Australia. Some critics also expressed surprise over the move to name the 25-year-old as India's Test captain following Rohit Sharma's retirement. Gill, though, has silenced all his critics, amassing 722 runs in eight innings at an average of 90.25, with four tons and a best of 269.

The Indian skipper was among the three batters who scored tons in the team's second innings in Manchester on Sunday as the visitors battled hard to draw the Test. Speaking at the post-match conference, Gambhir took a dig at critics who had questioned Gill's credentials. Responding to a query, he said:

"No one has had any doubt over Shubman Gill’s talent. Those who had doubts over Gill’s talent don’t understand cricket. Some players need time to blossom in international cricket. No one in the dressing room is surprised with what Shubman has done on this tour. Even if he had not performed so well, no one would have doubted his talent. "Those who watch cricket and understand it know what kind of talent Shubman has. The important thing is that he is living up to his expectations, his talent. More importantly, I cannot see any burden of captaincy that we often talk about when he goes in to bat. When he goes into bat, he goes as a batsman, not as a captain," the former India batter went on to add.

Gill was unbeaten on 78 at stumps on Day 4 of the Manchester Test against England. While the other overnight batter KL Rahul was dismissed for 90, the Indian captain went on to cross three figures. He scored 103 off 238 balls, hitting 12 fours in his 379-minute stay at the crease.

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Shubman Gill only third batter to score 700-plus runs in a Test series for India

Gill has created a number of records during the ongoing tour of England. During the course of his second innings knock at Old Trafford, he became only the third Indian batter to score 700-plus runs in a Test series.

The Indian captain has currently notched up 722 runs and will have a chance to surpass Sunil Gavaskar's all-time record of 774 (vs West Indies in 1971) in the fifth Test at The Oval. Gavaskar also scored 732 runs against the West Indies in 1978, while Yashasvi Jaiswal totaled 712 runs against England in 2024.

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Edited by Renin Wilben Albert