IND vs ENG | ‘Make that call’: R Ashwin urges Shubman Gill to take bold selection call for Oval decider | Cricket News
NEW DLEHI: Ravichandran Ashwin has urged Indian skipper Shubman Gill to rethink his bowling choices ahead of the series-deciding fifth Test against England at The Oval, stating firmly that “Test matches are not won by batting depth; they are drawn by it.” Following India’s spirited draw at Old Trafford, Ashwin lauded Gill’s gritty hundred but warned that tactical missteps could cost India the series.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Ashwin, speaking on his YouTube show Ash ki Baat, highlighted Gill’s resilience and maturity with the bat, especially under pressure. “What a fabulous hundred by Shubman Gill. He has once again proved himself. He did not have a great match as captain — the way he brought Washington Sundar late was a huge tactical mistake. But that happens. He is a young captain and will only learn by making mistakes, and I hope he learns faster.”
After slumping to 0/2 in the second innings, India fought back thanks to a 188-run stand between KL Rahul and Gill. While Rahul fell for 90, Gill’s composed 103 helped India stay alive in the series. Ashwin called it a “leader’s emergence knock.”“Gill kept all things aside and came out as a batter and played a leader’s knock. He scored at Birmingham, Headingley, and now here. We lost at Lord’s and a lot of people raised questions about his batting. When everything was down, he walked out to the middle in complete control and batted beautifully,” Ashwin added.Ashwin, however, stressed that India’s tactical execution had been “pretty ordinary” in the series and said it’s time for bold decisions.“Improve now, and please make that call,” he said. “You can still lose after that decision, but make it. Pick bowlers who have the knack for taking wickets. That’s how you win Tests.”Gill has amassed 722 runs in the series so far at an average of 90.25, including four centuries. With the series at 2-1 in England’s favour, the final Test begins on July 31 at The Oval.
