ENG vs IND 2025: 'Where is he heading?' - Sanjay Manjrekar on Shubman Gill's aggressive antics at Lord's

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes that Shubman Gill’s batting was affected by his decision to confront England on the third day at Lord’s. The Indian captain engaged in a war of words with Zak Crawley near the close of play on Day 3, accusing him of wasting time.

Following their captain’s lead, some Indian players also got involved, sparking the first flashpoint of the series. England responded strongly when Gill came out to bat late on Day 4, only to be dismissed for 6 runs.

"The thing with Virat Kohli was that he would get even more fired up and become a better batter [if things got nasty]. What disappointed me with Shubman Gill and that is why I was wondering, where is Shubman Gill heading? Because that seemed like it didn't have the right effect on Shubman Gill the batter,” Manjrekar said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

"He came out looking very tentative and, you know, these days we are privy to the stump mic and we could hear the things being said and there were some personal attacks made. This could be a new experience for Shubman Gill because these days, as you can see, you know, with Indian players, there's mostly friendly reception from a lot of foreign teams. So this was new territory. And he looked tentative and wasn't up for it," he added.

India lost the third Test and now trail the series 1-2. Gill entered the Lord’s match with 485 runs from the first two Tests, having scored three centuries in four innings, including a career-best 269. However, batting conditions in the third Test were noticeably tougher than earlier in the series.

In the second innings, Gill faced a challenging new ball, unlike previous innings where he had the advantage of an older, softer ball that offered less movement. Along with this was the extra pressure from the attention he attracted, which contributed to his early dismissal.

"We saw it pan out in the way he batted. Because these were deliveries, good deliveries, but he's negotiated beautifully through his marathon run as a batter through the series. And suddenly he was missing those balls. There was a review situation as well. Next ball, there was a leg before. Going through Shubman Gill's defence has been hard work. He has hardly missed a ball. The control percentage has been brilliant. And suddenly, in about nine deliveries [in the second innings], he's missed four. I have no doubt that there is a connection there,” Manjrekar said.

Manjrekar questioned whether Gill’s recent aggression stems from confidence after a Test win and strong performances, noting that unlike Virat Kohli, Gill had not previously shown such intensity before becoming captain.

"And just to extend on that point, if Shubman Gill had that kind of a fiery side to him, we would have seen it a little earlier. You don't have to show it when you're captain. Or did he show it because he's got this confidence now that he's won a Test match and he's got so many runs? Because with Virat Kohli, you could see that he was ready for a scrap. He was always waiting to get in the thick of things. Even when he wasn't a captain, you could see him coming in there. So that was a trait that we'd seen even before he was captain. With Shubman Gill, I've never seen it before," said Manjrekar.

At just 25 years old, Gill is leading the Indian Test team for the first time. Manjrekar believes Gill has already exceeded expectations and can afford to take his time shaping the captain he wants to become.

"I think this break of eight days is perfect for him. There are a lot of good people around him. His father [who played a big part as he grew up pursuing a career in cricket], in fact, would know him, would know his child, whether he's a Virat Kohli, potential Virat Kohli or [MS] Dhoni or somewhere in between. I'm guessing somewhere in between. So he's got to find his own way. But whatever way that is, it's got to be a way that will enhance his leadership qualities and make him a better batter," Manjrekar concluded.