• Home
  • Who Said What
  • Shubman Gills Majestic Test Hundred Impresses Shastri He Was Like Kohli In England

Shubman Gill’s Majestic Test Hundred Impresses Shastri: "He Was Like Kohli In England"

Rajgeeta Yadav

 Ravi Shastri Praises Shubman Gill’s Improved Defence [Source: @RCBTweets and AP Photos] Ravi Shastri Praises Shubman Gill’s Improved Defence [Source: @RCBTweets and AP Photos]

Former India coach Ravi Shastri has praised young batsman Shubman Gill for his brilliant performance against England in the ongoing Test match at Edgbaston. Gill scored his seventh Test century and showed a big improvement in his batting defence, something Shastri says reminds him of how Virat Kohli used to bat on the last England tour.

On the first day of the match, Gill played patiently and responsibly. Coming in to bat at number four, he scored an unbeaten 114 runs off 216 balls. His innings included 12 boundaries and helped India reach a solid score of 310 runs for the loss of five wickets by the end of the day.

Ravi Shastri Sees Shades Of Virat Kohli

Shastri, who has known Gill since the start of his career, noticed how much work the young batter has done on his defence.

“I think the biggest difference is that he has worked on his defence. When he last came to England, he was like Virat, played with hard hands and pushed at the ball. Now, the top hand is in much more control,” Shastri told Sky Sports Cricket.

“He allows the ball to come and hit the bat. He's trusting his defence. We know he has all the shots in the book. He's a lovely driver of the ball, and can pull as well. But just that little work on defence has done him a world of good,” he added.

As the innings progressed, Gill’s role became even more important. He played calmly and smartly, rotating the strike well and handling both pace and spin with confidence. His goal was clear: to wear down the English bowlers and avoid the kind of mistakes that had hurt India in the first Test.

Gill And Jaiswal’s 66-run Stand Lays Strong Foundation

Earlier in the day, Gill’s 66-run partnership with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored a stylish 87, was key in steadying India’s innings after early pressure. Later on, he was joined by Ravindra Jadeja, who remained unbeaten on 41. The duo ensured India ended Day 1 without any further damage.

Going into Day 2, with Gill (114)* and Jadeja (41)* at the crease and five wickets still in hand, India is well placed to build a big total. However, after a lower-order collapse in the first Test, the team will be aware of the risks and will aim to bat deep to keep the pressure on England.