New Delhi, Aug 14 (PTI): Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh has praised Shubman Gill for his remarkable performance during India's recent tour of England. Gill emerged as the series' leading run-scorer, amassing 754 runs with four centuries, which included some exceptional knocks in overseas conditions—a significant achievement considering the scrutiny his overseas record previously faced. This performance made him the first Asian batter to surpass 700 runs in a Test series held in a SENA country, ultimately helping India draw the five-Test series 2-2.
At just 25 years of age, Gill led a youthful Indian side through a challenging tour following the sudden retirement of Test stalwarts Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin. Yuvraj commended Gill's ability to handle the responsibility as a captain and an opener. "There were a lot of question marks over his overseas record. The guy (Gill) became the captain and scored four Test hundreds. It's just unbelievable that when you're given responsibility, how you take it," Yuvraj said during an event on the sidelines of the '50 Days To Go' Women's Cricket World Cup.
Despite the hurdles posed by injuries to key players like wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, Akash Deep, and Arshdeep Singh, as well as Jasprit Bumrah's limited participation, India displayed remarkable resilience. They clinched a thrilling six-run victory in the fifth Test at The Oval, leveling the series.
Yuvraj highlighted how the young Indian squad rose to the challenge without the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. "It's just fantastic because I felt when you have a young team going to England, it's a lot of pressure. You're filling the boots of somebody like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, it's not easy. The guys took it head-on," he added.
He also lauded the contributions of all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, instrumental in India's draw in the fourth Test in Manchester. "The moment in the tournament was when India drew the Test series. I've never seen, in a very long time, Washington and Jadeja got hundreds and drew a Test match. That speaks volumes. Obviously, Jadeja has been there for a long time. But I think Washington Sundar, as a youngster coming into the team, it was incredible to do what he did," Yuvraj concluded.
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