Sourav Ganguly has recently weighed in on Shubman Gill's captaincy and the Indian cricket team's performance, drawing comparisons to past eras led by MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. Ganguly's analysis points out both the strengths of the current team and areas where previous leadership might have missed a trick, particularly in nurturing consistent batting performances in challenging overseas conditions.
Ganguly's comments came after India's spirited comeback in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England, where they leveled the series 2-2 after trailing 2-1. He specifically lauded Gill's captaincy, especially considering the team's young composition and the pressure of performing in England. Ganguly noted that Gill answered his critics through his satisfactory performance.
A key observation from Ganguly was the consistency of India's top-order batsmen in the recent series. He stated that it was after a long time, perhaps since 2002 or 2007, that the top six batsmen had performed so well in England. He specifically named KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar, alongside Gill, as consistent performers throughout the series. Ganguly was elated by the performances of Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar, who raked in a massive amount of runs in the series.
Ganguly also acknowledged the contributions of head coach Gautam Gambhir in bringing about a positive transformation within the team. He highlighted the team's resilience, particularly after a difficult start in Manchester, where they were 0 for 2, to eventually level the series at The Oval.
Furthermore, Ganguly expressed his confidence in India's pace bowlers, especially when provided with favorable conditions. He noted that India's victories in places like Perth, Johannesburg, and Headingley over the past 20-25 years have often coincided with conditions that assist fast bowlers. He also congratulated Mohammed Siraj for picking up nine wickets in the final Test.
In the context of Shubman Gill's captaincy debut, comparisons were drawn to Sourav Ganguly's own start as captain, with Gill also managing to draw the series. However, the article also pointed out that the dream of winning a Test series in England, like Rahul Dravid did in 2007, remains unfulfilled. Ganguly said that Gill started like Sourav Ganguly, while a historic victory like Rahul Dravid is still far away.
Despite setbacks at Headingley and Lord's, the team fought with unrelenting spirit, which made the former BCCI president proud. Ganguly felt "proud" about the brand of cricket that India has exhibited in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England. Gill has cracked the formula of success in England and unleashed a fusillade of strokes to script a record-shattering overseas tour.
Overall, Ganguly's assessment suggests that while India has made significant strides in developing a strong batting lineup and a potent pace attack, the consistency and adaptability demonstrated in the recent series were areas that perhaps lacked in previous eras. He also noted the importance of entrusting responsibility to players, as seen with Gill's successful captaincy.
