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Sunil Gavaskar praised Shubman Gill’s 754 runs in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, comparing it to his own 1971 record of 774 runs.
Shubman Gill has had the best batting series of his career. (Picture Credit: X/@BCCI)
India legend Sunil Gavaskar has hailed Shubman Gill’s 754 runs in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy as better than his 1971 record of 774 against the West Indies, which remains the highest by an Indian in an away series. The 76-year-old said Gill had not fallen short by 20 runs, but had done something equally good, considering he’s the captain of the team while Gavaskar was an inconspicuous ‘baby’ (he was 21 at the time) of the team.
After Gill played his final knock of the series at the Oval, 11 (9), Gavaskar gifted him, following Stumps, with a signed cap and a t-shirt with ‘SG’ initials on it, which are the same for both cricketers. Gavaskar told Gill that he had readied the surprise in anticipation of his record being broken, but added that now the Punjabi 25-year-old had ‘something to aim for’ in his next Test series.
“Well, yes, in anticipation of him going past my record, I had gotten something for him, This is all in God’s hands. But 754 runs, it’s fantastic. The difference is that 754 runs have come with him having the additional responsibility of being the captain,” Gavaskar later said on Sony Sports Network.
“Mine, I was the baby of the team, it wouldn’t have mattered. If I failed, nobody would have given a hoot. As the captain, to score 754 runs. More than 750 runs, where he is making the difference to his side’s fortunes. Don’t go by those 20 runs, just see what those 754 runs have done for Indian cricket,” he added.
Gavaskar’s 774 were revolutionary. Not only was that his debut series and one that proved to be the harbinger of India’s first true, world-beating, legendary career, but also marked a shift in how the team was perceived.
Gill has a similar task at hand. England went to Stumps at 50/1, 328 runs behind the visitors. If India can defend it, a 2-2 series leveler would prove it to the country that Gill can lead them to a future beyond Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. It’ll also buy some time for Gautam Gambhir, who has struggled as a coach.
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