India missed Kohli, Rohit in England, but not their runs: Manjrekar's brutal truth after Gill's Manchester masterclass
Speaking on JioStar after India drew the fourth Test at Old Trafford, Manjrekar hailed how India have managed to put England on the back foot despite the injuries that hit the camp ahead of the game and the retirements of three legends - Kohli, Rohit and R Ashwin.
The words left former England batter Jonathan Trott admitting that had the scenario been reversed, England would not have managed to pull off the same. He, hence, hailed Gill, who now has 722 runs already in the series, the most ever by an Indian player on the tour of England, and the second-highest tally in an India-England Test, standing just 16 runs behind Joe Root's 737-run tally in the 2021 series.
"If you're taking the Joe Root out of the side or taking two experienced players like India have had to retire recently, it would be a very, very different scenario. I think India have given a great account of themselves. They've kept the series alive, and it's certainly interesting to see the mood in the bus on the England bus when it goes down to London compared to the Indian bus on the way down to London. As we see Shubman Gill here in a league of legends, as it said, and certainly has the opportunity to go to the top of that sort of leaderboard there, and I wouldn't bet against it," he said.
The anchor, however, pointed out that the situation was slightly different for India, leading to Manjrekar highlighting that Rohit was averaging around 10 in the last two Test series, while Kohli's average dipped to 30 in the last five years. He, hence, reckoned that while India missed the presence of the two batting legends, their contributions were not missed.
"Rohit Sharma was averaging 10 in the last two series that he played, and Virat Kohli was averaging 30 in the last five years. So they were perhaps not easy to replace, but it wasn't like it was a huge loss. It was a loss of two very senior players, but not a loss of contribution, because they weren't contributing as much," he explained.
India have one last match left in the series, the finale at The Oval, which will get underway on Thursday.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
25 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
'We failed to recognise Mohammed Siraj': R Ashwin urges Gambhir, Shubman Gill to look after potential No.1 bowler
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin urged Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill to look after Mohammed Siraj after the pacer led the visitors to a thrilling six-run win against England in the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. The 31-year-old returned with nine wickets in the series decider, including a five-wicket haul in the second innings, to help Shubman Gill's side level the five-match series. Mohammed Siraj took nine wickets in the Oval Test against England. (PTI) Ashwin, who retired from international cricket in December 2024, said Siraj has not been recognised for his efforts in the past, and the time has come for the pacer to get all the acknowledgement he deserves. Siraj stepped up in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah as he led the pace attack really well, finishing as the leading wicket-taker in the series with 23 scalps. 'We failed to recognise Mohammed Siraj. The time has come to recognise him now. He once again put his hand up; he has given a compelling reason. Just look at his celebration, it seems as if he is saying, 'This is not the trailer. This is the main picture itself'. He is saying, 'Please consider me as a match winner'. ' He is reminding us what a champion bowler he is. His bowling action, his technique and good work ethic are allowing him to play all five Tests in a series,' said Ashwin on his YouTube channel. Also Read: 'When Siraj took the last wicket, as much as I was disappointed…': England coach McCullum hails India in 'best series' 'He is also growing old. It is important for the team management to rest him as well from inconsequential matches. He could be your No.1 Test bowler; he could be your go-to Test bowler. We have to rebuild the bowling attack. Akash Deep is there, Prasidh Krishna is there, Arshdeep Singh is there. Around Mohammed Siraj and his experience, we have to build it,' he added. Siraj's workload in the series The right-arm speedster delivered 187 overs in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, bowling the most overs by any bowler in the recently concluded series. Siraj witnessed a plethora of emotions in the entire series against England. He saw pure agony after India suffered a defeat in the Lord's Test. He played a forward defence off the bowling of Shoaib Bashir, but the ball rolled back onto the stumps, leading to the hosts' victory. The pacer then failed to take Harry Brook's catch on Day 4 of the Oval Test, and the batter made India pay by smashing 111 runs. However, Siraj stepped up when India needed it the most as he took the final three wickets out of the remaining four on Day 5. 'Let's celebrate Siraj. He is the leading wicket-taker in the series. Dinesh Karthik interviewed him on Day 4, and then he interviewed him after the match had ended. He was his translator as well. But in the interview he had with Siraj, he was just asking questions in English. He knows all about him. In the T20 World Cup, Siraj said 'We believe in Jassi Bhai'. But today, not Jassi Bhai, Miyan Bhai was the real instrument to level this series. Without Jasprit Bumrah, we have drawn this series. Siraj has led the attack,' said Ashwin. 'Cricketing gods have been fair to Siraj. Despite getting it wrong at times, he never stops running in. It is very easy for someone playing all the Tests to say, 'I am tired. I am having pain'. He is always there on the field; he never goes outside. Cricketing gods recognise these things. Very well deserved. It is very hard to find players like Siraj. Players like Siraj don't come easily, especially from India. He is the first of his kind. Mohammed Siraj, for his pure attitude, is a once-in-a-generation cricketer,' he added.
NDTV
25 minutes ago
- NDTV
Harbhajan Singh's Blunt Reality Check To England Great Over 3-1 Series Prediction At Start
History unfolded on Monday as Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna 's fiery bowling spells helped India register a narrow six-run win over England in the fifth Test. The Oval Test, which was looking like a perfect ending for England, turned upside down as Shubman Gill and co brilliantly dominated the proceedings and clinch a thrilling win. With this win, the five-match series ended in a 2-2 draw and Shubman Gill passed his first stint as the Test captain with flying colours. Before the series began, many former cricketers and fans had underestimated the potential of the Gill-led side as it marked the beginning of a new era in Indian Test cricket. Former England captain Michael Vaughan had even predicted that England would be winning the series 3-0 or 3-1. After India's registered a dominating performance to end the series in 2-2 draw, former spinner Harbhajan Singh took a dig at Vaughan, calling the Indian players "warriors". "I feel there is a big win hidden for India here. Yes, the scoreline shows 2-2. Michael Vaughan and many others predicted that it would be 3-1 or 3-0. I would tell them to look towards their side a bit and where England cricket stands. Our warriors have shown the level of Indian cricket," Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel. "Unbelievable Test match and the way India have played the series, they deserve praise. When the team went to England, many people said it was young and there were no seniors. But see how the young team created history," he added. The odds were stacked against India as they stepped inside The Oval to scalp four wickets with barely 35 runs to defend in the fifth Test while defending the daunting 373-run target. Under London's clouded sky, the two successive boundaries on the opening deliveries further deteriorated India's chances. But Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna upped the ante and bowled in tandem to wreak havoc and tilt the scales in India's favour. Siraj unleashed his fury and struck the decisive blow by nailing the yorker to rattle Gus Atkinson 's stumps to seal a slender six-run triumph for India.
NDTV
25 minutes ago
- NDTV
Watch: With Tears In Eyes, Gautam Gambhir's Never-Seen-Before Avatar Stuns Internet
Even a smile on the face is rare when it comes to India head coach Gautam Gambhir, let alone passionate celebrations. But, as the Indian team secured a narrow 6-run victory against England at the Kennington Oval on Monday, Gambhir couldn't hold his emotions in the dressing room. The coach, known for his serious demeanor, no matter the situation, let it loose as India's bowling coach Morne Morkel, an ecstatic Gambhir in the air after Mohammed Siraj bagged the match-winning wicket of Gus Atkinson in the middle. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a video highlighting the dressing room scenes when India won the nail-biting contest. The video showed Gambhir jumping into Morne Morkel's arms like a baby before screaming his lungs out. In a segment of the video, Gambhir could also be seen teary-eyed, with the emotion encapsulating what the victory meant to him. Raw Emotions straight after #TeamIndia 's special win at the Kennington Oval #ENGvIND — BCCI (@BCCI) August 4, 2025 The match entered its most enthralling phase when England's last batter, Chris Woakes walked in. Fighting with a broken shoulder, Woakes would struggle to even take singles while standing at the non-striker's end. As his partner Gus Atkinson brought the equation down to seven required with one wicket in hand, every single person in the stadium was tense. Gambhir peeked out of the window and sent a couple of instructions to his troops before the decisive moment. Gambhir and the rest of the coaching staff watched in anticipation as Mohammed Siraj, who was breathing fire by that point, charged at Atkinson. Siraj's searing yorker found a way past Atkinson's wild swipe and dislodged the off stump from its position to seal a six-run and series-levelling triumph for India. Siraj, on cloud nine, sprinted animatedly and pulled his usual 'Sui' celebration and was soon swamped by his compatriots. Gambhir embraced assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate with a passionate hug, and the rest of the crew swiftly joined the celebrations. After India's fabled story of success, Gambhir had a simple message and wrote on X, "We'll win some, we'll lose some.... but we'll NEVER surrender! Well done boys!" The victory held special significance for the Indian head coach, considering the torrid run he endured since the New Zealand home series last October. With India's next Test assignment being a two-match home assignment against the West Indies, Gambhir would be looking to replicate the success he savoured in England.
