logo
Ponting sympathises with Gill after Lord's outburst  ICC World Test Championship

Ponting sympathises with Gill after Lord's outburst ICC World Test Championship

With the series tied at 1-1 ahead of the Lord's Test last week, the closely fought third Test between England and India saw plenty of drama on the field. This included an animated flare-up between India skipper Shubman Gill and England openers towards the end of the third day of the Test.
India had managed to equal England's first innings total of 387, and wanted to squeeze in two overs in the remaining six minutes of play. However, that wasn't possible as the English openers took their time to get ready, and the India skipper got involved in a heated discussion with Zak Crawley and then Ben Duckett.
ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting understood why Gill's aggressive posturing at Lord's was met with surprise.
'That was a little out of character from what I've known from Shubman in the past,' Ponting told host Sanjana Ganesan in the latest episode of The ICC Review. '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.'
However, the former Australia skipper said it was a case of Gill taking a stand for his team in the scenario.
'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.'
Shastri reviews England-India series after Lord's thriller | The ICC Review
From a thriller at Lord's to an array of star performers, Ravi Shastri breaks down a closely contested Test series between England and India in the latest edition of The ICC Review.
Ponting has played Tests in England across four separate tours, and twice as captain (2005 and 2009). He said that the pressures of such a high-profile tour could get to a skipper.
'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.'
Ponting also believes that in the middle of a high-octane Test, which India eventually lost by merely 22 runs, Gill needed to make his presence felt on his players, in a manner similar to former skipper Virat Kohli.
'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.
'I know he (Rohit) would quite often get aggressive with his teammates and try to bring the best out of them that way. But I love watching Shubman stand up for what he thought was right in the game last week.'
With the series 2-1 in favour of the hosts, England and India will square off in the fourth Test in Manchester, starting on 23 July.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

India on the back foot after Pant injury blow in fourth Test
India on the back foot after Pant injury blow in fourth Test

Khaleej Times

timean hour ago

  • Khaleej Times

India on the back foot after Pant injury blow in fourth Test

Rishabh Pant's retirement through injury slowed India's progress on day one of the fourth Test against England, with the tourists closing on 264-4 in their first innings as they look to keep the thrilling five-match series alive. With England eyeing victory at Old Trafford that would seal a series win with one match to spare, the hosts put India in to bat in overcast Manchester conditions, but the tourists cruised through to lunch untroubled on 78-0. Three wickets in the afternoon session costing just 36 runs, including India skipper Shubman Gill, swung momentum back in England's favour before tea. England spinner Liam Dawson picked up his first Test wicket in eight years when he had opener Yashasvi Jaiswal caught for 58. As he often does, the entertaining Pant upped the ante after tea by playing a number of flamboyant shots. However, all that came to an abrupt end when he retired hurt on 37, having taken a blow on the foot trying to reverse sweep Chris Woakes. Sai Sudharsan's maiden test fifty, a patient knock which took 134 balls to achieve, had already taken India past 200 before he got a hook shot all wrong to fall for 61. England could not make any further inroads to leave the Test finely poised going into day two. Earlier, Yashasvi Jaiswal passed his 12th fifty, the most half centuries by any batter since his debut in July 2023. However, he did not last much longer as England spinner Liam Dawson took a Test wicket for the first time in eight years, Jaiswal edging through to Zak Crawley at second slip when on 58. The big wicket just before tea further swung the momentum back in England's favour as Gill, with three centuries already this series, was trapped leg before wicket by Stokes having scored just 12. The India skipper has registered only 34 runs in his last three innings. The Old Trafford crowd took great delight in Gill's departure, given his complaints over England's conduct in the last Test at Lord's.

Sudharsan shines as England put India's batting to test  ICC World Test Championship
Sudharsan shines as England put India's batting to test  ICC World Test Championship

Int'l Cricket Council

timean hour ago

  • Int'l Cricket Council

Sudharsan shines as England put India's batting to test ICC World Test Championship

Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur saw through a tough passage of play to finish Day 1 of the Manchester Test unbeaten with India four wickets down for 264. The duo were called into action after England managed to remove Sai Sudharsan, who was India's highest run-scorer on the opening day. Having been put to bat first by England, the tourists got off to a solid start, courtesy of excellent temperament shown by the Indian openers. Yashasvi Jaiswal (58) and KL Rahul (46) added 94 runs for the first wicket as India went wicketless in the opening session. The partnership was eventually broken by Chris Woakes early in the second. Soon afterwards, Liam Dawson, who made his Test comeback after seven years for England, induced an outside edge off Jaiswal's willow to remove the left-handed batter. England then struck a third time in the session as skipper Ben Stokes got rid of his India counterpart with an accurate nip-backer to trap Shubman Gill plumb. Named among the three changes in the playing XI after the Lord's Test, Sai Sudharsan then added 72 runs for the fourth wicket alongside Rishabh Pant. However, just as the Indian duo were shouldering the innings towards the end of the day's play, Pant was forced off the field due to a leg injury. Sudharsan managed to get to his maiden Test fifty for India, amassing 61 runs off 151 deliveries, which included seven fours. Stokes would strike again with the ball to remove the left-hander as India lost their fourth wicket on the day. Jadeja and Thakur eventually closed the day as bad lights forced early Stumps at Old Trafford on Day 1. England currently lead the five-Test series 2-1 after a thrilling win at Lord's in the third match. ICC World Test ChampionshipICC World Test Championship, 2025/27News

Rishabh Pant foot injury stalls India's progress in Manchester Test against England
Rishabh Pant foot injury stalls India's progress in Manchester Test against England

The National

time2 hours ago

  • The National

Rishabh Pant foot injury stalls India's progress in Manchester Test against England

Rishabh Pant's terrible luck with injuries continued as India's wicketkeeper batter was forced to retire hurt on the first day of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford on Wednesday. The left-handed batter had suffered a finger injury while keeping during England's 22-run win in the third Test at Lord's. He was replaced by Dhruv Jurel behind the stumps for large parts of that match, while still managing to bat. Pant was declared fit for the fourth Test but picked up another injury, this time while batting on Wednesday. Pant, looking well set on 37 from 48 balls in challenging conditions, was hurt as he attempted an audacious reverse sweep off a yorker-length delivery from seamer Chris Woakes after tea. England appealed for lbw but a review revealed wicketkeeper Pant had got an inside edge. But, more worryingly for India, the ball deflected on to his right boot. Pant received on-field treatment and television pictures showed severe swelling on his right leg. A hobbling Pant limped into a buggy before being driven off the field. India were 212-3, with Pant having helped Sai Sudharsan add 72 for the fourth wicket after the pair came together with the tourists faltering at 140-3. After Pant's unfortunate exit, the well-set Sudharsan also returned to the pavilion as Ben Stokes got him out on the leg side for the third time in the series. The left-hander was caught by Brydon Carse pulling the England captain, ending his fighting innings of 61 that came off 151 balls. Pant's injury, however, will be the main concern for the Indian team. While they have the option of getting Jurel to keep wickets, Pant's ability to bat will be the issue as batting with a foot injury is extremely difficult. Earlier, spinner Liam Dawson claimed his first Test wicket in eight years after making his England comeback. Dawson was recalled for the Test after Shoaib Bashir was ruled out with a broken finger. He bowled admirably in a strong second session which saw England take three wickets. In his first Test since 2017, Dawson forced an edge from Yashasvi Jaiswal (58) that was caught low by slip fielder Harry Brook. The visitors lost the toss on an overcast day in Manchester and were put into bat, but the opening partnership of KL Rahul and Jaiswal kept England at bay, reaching 78-0 at lunch. Rahul (46) was caught by Zak Crawley off Woakes early after lunch for 94-1. And there were more cheers around the stadium when Jaiswal's innings was ended by Dawson to put India at 120-2. Shubman Gill, the top run scorer so far in the series, had only 12 on the board before getting out in an all-too familiar fashion – trapped leg before wicket by Stokes, leaving India on 140-3. Sudharsan, who replaced Karun Nair, played and missed early on before finding his groove. He found an able ally in Pant and looked like taking India to safety on a pitch that offered extravagant help to seamers all day. However, Pant's injury kept India in check. All-rounders Shardul Thakur and Ravindra Jadeja were batting on 19 each when umpires called early stumps due to poor light. India battled their way to 264-4 in 83 overs. The visitors are effectively five down.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store