Sanjay Manjrekar has raised concerns about Shubman Gill's captaincy, particularly questioning the need for overt aggression, drawing comparisons with Virat Kohli's leadership style. Manjrekar's comments came after India's defeat in the first Test against England at Headingley. He suggested that Gill's tactics were overly cautious and that he seemed to be anticipating England's aggressive approach by setting up a defensive field.
Manjrekar believes Gill's aggressive behavior during the Lord's Test might not be genuine, but rather a result of winning the Edgbaston Test. He noted that if Gill possessed a naturally fiery personality, it would have been evident earlier in his career, not just after assuming the captaincy. Manjrekar contrasted this with Virat Kohli, whose intense and combative nature was apparent long before he became captain. He further explained that Kohli would get even more fired up if things got nasty, which enhanced his batting.
The former India batter feels that Gill's captaincy style appears influenced by Virat Kohli. Manjrekar never objected to Kohli's style as he felt such aggression came naturally to him. However, Manjrekar feels that might not be the case with Gill.
Furthermore, Manjrekar linked Gill's Lord's failure to mental distraction. He believes that Gill's poor outing in the second innings at Lord's was linked to a shift in his mindset. He noted that Gill had batted with great control up to that point in the Test series, rarely missing a ball and displaying strong defense. However, during the second innings, things seemed different, as he missed deliveries he would normally handle with ease.
Gill's on-field altercation with England opener Zak Crawley remained a talking point. Some have even suggested that it was this act by the India skipper that drove England to prove themselves. As a result, India now trail in the 5-match series.
However, it's still early days in Gill's captaincy career. Despite the defeat at Headingley, Gill led India to a remarkable comeback victory at Edgbaston, leveling the series. His calm and level-headed approach has been noted, with some observers suggesting he possesses the qualities of a good leader. Shubman's first Test triumph as captain was about him leading from the front, lifting his deflated team, trusting his players, and calling out England's Bazball bravado.
Gill himself has spoken about the captaincy styles of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, praising Rohit's aggressive tactics and clear communication and admiring Kohli's proactive thinking and adaptability on the field. Gill praised Rohit's aggressive tactical approach and communication style. He is someone who is very clear with his communication prior to the matches, during the series, and even after the series, about what he wants from the players. Speaking about Kohli's captaincy, Gill highlighted his proactive approach. He was very proactive with his thinking.
Former World Cup-winning coach Gary Kirsten suggested the trait Gill could pick up from MS Dhoni. Dhoni was an incredible man-manager. If he can get that component of his leadership really fired up, he has all the credentials to become a great captain for India.
Ultimately, Manjrekar suggests that Gill needs to find his own way as captain and not try to imitate Kohli's style. He should analyze what works best for him and act accordingly. Manjrekar's comments serve as a reminder that effective leadership is about authenticity and adapting one's approach to suit their own personality and the needs of the team.
