"Test Matches Not Won By...": R Ashwin's Blunt Fact Check To Shubman Gill, Gautam Gambhir
As the match concludes with a draw, questions have been raised over the team management's approach towards the game. Could India have made a stronger impression to win the game had they played more wicket-takers than all-rounders? Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin does think so.
Speaking in a video on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin made some bold points. He also said that before the series, "a lot of people had hatred" for Gill and questioned his technique.
"What a fabulous hundred by Shubman Gill. He has once again proved, he worked on his technique. He did not have a great match as captain, the way he brought Washington Sundar late was a huge tactical mistake, but that happens. He is a young captain and will only learn by making mistakes, and I hope he learns faster," he said.
"Gill kept all things aside and came out as a batter and played a leader's knock. It was truly a leader's emergence knock. He scored in Birmingham, got a big score when India were 0-1. He scored at Headingley as well. We lost at Lord's and a lot of people had raised questions about his batting. When everything was down, he walked out to the middle, complete control, and batted beautifully. Yes, he got a couple of reprieves, but I thought he was fabulous," added Ashwin on Gill's efforts with the bat.
Gill has had an absolute blockbuster series, despite four failures. His other four innings have been centuries, with one being a knock of 269 at Birmingham. He has scored 722 runs so far at an average of 90.25.
While there were a few positive from a personal standpoint, Ashwin said that during the course of the series, India were tactically "pretty ordinary", and they have to make the call to play an extra specialist bowler.
"Improve now, and please make that call. You can still lose after that decision, but make that decision because Test matches are not won by batting depth; they are drawn by batting depth. Test matches are won by having bowlers who have the knack for taking wickets," Ashwin advised Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir.
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