Sanjay Manjrekar acknowledges Shubman Gill's mental toughness against England in the Ranchi Test

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar praised Shubman Gill for his impressive batting performance during the fourth Test match in Ranchi. Sanjay Manjrekar emphasized Shubman Gill’s resilience and composure during the second innings amidst pressure.

Shubman Gill scored an unbeaten 52 runs off 124 balls as the hosts chased down 192 runs. Gill played the first 119 deliveries without hitting a boundary. The batter reached his well-deserved half-century with two sixes off Shoaib Bashir towards the end of the chase.

The 24-year-old batter forged a pivotal 72-run partnership with wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel, rescuing Team India from a challenging position at 120/5. The home team secured a five-wicket victory in the fourth Test against England, clinching the series with a 3-1 lead.

Shubman Gill Has Felt The Pressure – Sanjay Manjrekar

In a conversation with ESPNCricinfo, Sanjay Manjrekar commended the dedication of young Indian players such as Shubman Gill and Dhruv Jurel, highlighting their determination to make a mark in Test cricket.

“Absolutely, I’ve said this before as well. I’m always somebody who’s trying to find an answer to these kinds of things. It was a day to be proud of, and you can see the team management, Rohit Sharma, as well, so proud in the way youngsters like Dhruv Jurel and Shubman Gill remained unbeaten to see India through.” Sanjay told ESPNCricinfo.

“Shubman Gill has felt the pressure playing on these kinds of pitches. I think it’ll be more at home on slightly faster, bouncier pitches for him to just hang in there right till the very end. And you saw mental toughness, which I mentioned earlier in the series as well, when Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill got together in a partnership; you saw some mental toughness there.”

Before the five-match series at home, Shubman faced scrutiny over his position in the Test team, having not scored a half-century in his previous nine Test innings. He continued to struggle in the ongoing series, posting scores of 23, 0, and 34 in the first three innings.

Indian Test Cricket Is Lucky They Had A Virat Kohli – Sanjay Manjrekar

Sanjay Manjrekar reflected on the emerging talent in Indian cricket, particularly highlighting players such as Shubman Gill and Dhruv Jurel. He expressed optimism about the potential of the younger generation to excel in the longest format of the game.

“So, people like Shubman Gill and also Dhruv Jurel, I just wonder whether there is this huge generation and number of young Indian players coming from small towns, very aspirational, looking at this as a great opportunity to change their lives. And to have that kind of desire and the drive to achieve Test match success is something I find incredible, and Indian Test cricket is lucky they had a Virat Kohli who cared deeply, and it looks like these younger players also want to make a mark there,” Manjrekar further stated.

In his second Test appearance, Dhruv Jurel earned the Player of the Match award for his contributions. The young batter recorded scores of 90 and 39*, rescuing India from difficult situations. Additionally, his performance as a wicketkeeper was commendable.

Also read: Shubman Gill speaks on MS Dhoni’s influence ahead of India’s Test vs England in Ranchi