Former India batter Yuvraj Singh has hailed Shubman Gill’s remarkable showing during the recent England tour, calling it “unbelievable” given the doubts that surrounded the youngster’s overseas record before the five-Test Anderson-Tendulkar series.
Record-breaking run with the bat
Gill scored four centuries and amassed 754 runs, becoming the first Asian batter to register over 700 runs in a Test series in a SENA country (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia). His efforts propelled India to a 2-2 draw in the high-intensity series.
At just 25, Gill was thrust into leadership after the sudden Test retirements of stalwarts Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin. Yuvraj noted how the extra responsibility seemed to inspire Gill.
“There were a lot of question marks over his overseas record. The guy became the captain and scored four Test hundreds. It’s just unbelievable that when you’re given responsibility, how you take it,” Yuvraj told ICC Digital on the sidelines of the 50 Days To Go Women’s Cricket World Cup event.
Fighting through setbacks
India’s tour was marred by injuries to key players, including wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, pacers Akash Deep and Arshdeep Singh, and limited appearances from pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who featured in only three Tests to manage his workload.
Despite the setbacks, the team fought hard, capping the series with a thrilling six-run win in the fifth Test at the Oval to square the contest.
Stepping into big shoes
Yuvraj, who has mentored Gill, praised the young captain and the squad for embracing the challenge without their most experienced names.
“It’s 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 said.
Jadeja-Washington partnership a highlight
The former all-rounder singled out the fourth Test in Manchester as a standout moment, when Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar batted India to safety with centuries in a marathon partnership.
“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 added.
For Yuvraj, the drawn series felt like a win for a young side that proved it could excel in one of cricket’s toughest overseas challenges.
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