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Legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar compared the leadership skills of Shubman Gill to the three Indian captains who previously led the side to Test series triumphs on English soil. The Men in Blue have only been able to win a total of three Test series in England with the first coming under the captaincy of Ajit Wadekar back in 1971. The second one came in 1986 under Kapil Dev and finally, Rahul Dravid captained the side to a series victory in England in 2007.
England currently have the advantage in the series
The Indian team may be trailing the ongoing series against England by 2-1, but there is still hope that they can make a comeback and triumph by winning the remaining two Tests. If this does go on to happen, then Gill will become just the fourth Indian captain to lead the side to a Test series victory on English soil.
Gavaskar pointed out how all the three captains who led India to a series triumph in England, possessed a cool and calm attitiude just like Gill. He added that following his sensational batting performance and captaincy in the second Test at Edgbaston, Gill looked like an amalgam of Wadekar, Kapil and Dravid.
"It might be pertinent to note that India have won a Test series in England only thrice. In 1971 under Ajit Wadekar, in 1986 under Kapil Dev and in 2007 under Rahul Dravid. All three were the coolest skippers one could ever hope for. The laconic style of Wadekar, the rip roaring yet controlled style of Kapil and the intense and thoughtful method of Dravid," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-day.
“Not once did these three ever get excited whatever the situation and that calm certainty was infectious. Shubman Gill in Birmingham looked like an amalgam of these three. Intense and iconic while scoring a double century and a century, rip roaring as well as thoughtful as his bowlers ran through the England batting in both the innings,” he added.
Meanwhile, the fourth Test of the ongoing series between India and England is set to commence from July 23 in Manchester. It is crucial for Gill & Co. to come out victorious in the upcoming game as any other result would see their hopes of winning the series completely fade away. On the other hand, if the Three Lions manage to win the match at Old Trafford, then they will go on to seal the series even before playing the fifth and final game.
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