India’s ongoing Test tour of England has brought forward a new batting hero in Shubman Gill, whose commanding performances in Birmingham and Manchester have been the cornerstone of India’s resilience. With legendary batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma having stepped away from Test cricket earlier this year, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar stirred conversation with a bold observation—India may have missed their presence but not their batting impact.
Speaking on JioStar following India’s gripping draw in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, Manjrekar acknowledged the void left by Kohli, Rohit, and R Ashwin due to retirement and injuries. Still, he praised how India countered the challenge with young stars stepping up—particularly Gill, who now has amassed 722 runs in the series, the highest by any Indian batter in England and just 16 short of Joe Root’s record 737 runs set in 2021.
Jonathan Trott, former England batter, admitted that England likely wouldn’t have fared as well had they lost their core players like India did. He lauded Gill’s growth and match-winning intent, saying the vibe within the Indian camp is far more confident heading into the final Test at The Oval.
“The momentum is on India’s side,” Trott said, while pointing out the stark contrast between both team buses as they headed to London—India’s filled with belief, England’s shrouded in concern. “Gill is in a league of his own. I wouldn’t be surprised if he surpasses Root’s record in the final match.”
Manjrekar, however, reinforced that India’s transition from the Kohli-Rohit era isn’t as painful as it may appear on the surface. “While their names carried weight, Rohit was averaging just 10 in his last two Test series, and Kohli was down to 30 across five years,” he said. “The experience is missed, yes. But the contributions had already diminished. So while replacing them wasn’t easy, it wasn’t a massive loss in terms of output.”
India now look ahead to the series finale at The Oval, set to begin Thursday. With the series on the line and Gill in blazing form, India’s new era might just kick off with a historic triumph.