Recent cricket news has been dominated by strong reactions to India's performance in the ongoing Test series, with former head coach Ravi Shastri leading the charge in expressing his concerns. Shastri's critiques encompass both the leadership of Shubman Gill and the effectiveness of the Indian bowling attack.
Shubman Gill, recently appointed as India's Test captain, faces a challenging start, according to Shastri. Shastri advised Gill to exhibit patience and composure while leading the team in the five-match Test series against England. Shastri acknowledged the difficulty of the task ahead for the 25-year-old, particularly captaining India on a tour of England. Despite the challenges, Shastri expressed confidence in Gill's temperament and maturity, drawing on his observations of Gill's composed demeanor while captaining the Gujarat Titans in the IPL. Shastri emphasized that this experience will be a valuable learning curve for Gill. Gill's captaincy comes during a transitional period for the Indian team, following the retirements of key players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and R Ashwin. Despite being early in his Test career, Gill has amassed 1893 runs at an average of 35.05 in 32 matches since his debut in December 2020.
However, it's not just Gill's captaincy that's under scrutiny. Shastri has also voiced strong opinions about the Indian bowling attack's inconsistency. Following India's loss at Headingley, Shastri suggested India should reconsider resting Jasprit Bumrah for upcoming Tests against England. Shastri questioned the logic of benching the world's best fast bowler after a week's rest, especially given India's recent Test losses. He emphasized the importance of Bumrah's presence in the team and the need to win crucial matches. Shastri expressed disbelief at India's decision to rest a fully fit Jasprit Bumrah from the second Test against England, asserting that the pace spearhead should not have been given the option to sit out of a crucial game. Shastri said it should be the captain and the head coach that should decide who should be playing the 11.
Shastri has been particularly critical of the other bowlers' inability to maintain consistency and execute plans effectively. He highlighted a lack of discipline in their bowling, which puts immense pressure on the captain. Shastri pointed out that the bowlers were giving away runs on both sides, making it difficult for the captain to control the game. He stressed the importance of bowlers maintaining tight lines and not allowing easy scoring opportunities. Shastri suggested that the bowlers need to think about how to bowl on one side of the wicket and maintain consistent lines.
These criticisms from Shastri and others underscore the high expectations and intense scrutiny that come with Indian cricket. While Gill's captaincy is seen as a long-term investment, the immediate concern is the team's performance in the current Test series. The pressure is on for both Gill and the bowlers to step up and deliver results.
