07-Feb-2025, 12:46 PM
Sanjay Manjrekar has critiqued Shubman Gill’s performance, while also addressing Shreyas Iyer’s recent revelation about his place in the team. Manjrekar referred to Gill as “lambi race ka ghoda,” a term suggesting he is in it for the long haul.
Iyer’s recent statement that he only played in the Nagpur opener against England due to Virat Kohli’s injury has stirred considerable debate. According to Iyer, he wasn’t originally part of the plan for the series opener. This revelation has led to questions about team management’s decisions, especially considering Iyer’s performance in the 2023 World Cup. Aakash Chopra expressed his frustration, questioning why Iyer would be benched after being the second-highest run-getter for India and the best No. 4 in the World Cup.
Manjrekar has also previously commented on Shubman Gill’s struggles against spin bowling. He noted that Gill “clearly does not have the feel for spinners” and appears to be under pressure when playing them on turning pitches. Manjrekar felt that India could pull off a surprise when Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill had a partnership. He believes that the top three or four are short of confidence against spin. Manjrekar thinks that if India had backed their defence a little more, things could have gotten easier.
