India’s cricket team encountered a challenging day in the fifth and final Test against England, with captain Shubman Gill’s unexpected run-out leaving a significant impact on the match. Gill entered the day with a few records already within arms reach. Ultimately, he was only able to contribute another 21 runs to his record series haul of 743 runs.
Gill’s performance throughout the series has been commendable, as he surpassed the legendary Garfield Sobers’ record of 722 runs set in 1966 for the highest-scoring visiting captain. This phenomenal achievement makes him one of the best in cricketing history. He averages over 90 with the bat in the series and is supported by four hundreds to his name. This just highlights how great of shape he’s in and keying in for the team’s success.
The day took a turn for the worse. Gill’s run out came after a direct throw from England’s Gus Atkinson. The sad part is the dismissal came after he tried to play a single that wasn’t there, putting him just four yards short of the crease. This instant of short-sightedness turned out to be extremely expensive for India. It robbed the home side of the services of their captain and changed the momentum of the match.
India were 204-6 at the end of day one. Players and fans alike were forced to speculate on what could have been had Gill remained at the crease. His quickfire batting style combined with the ability to anchor the innings made him key to India’s success of the plan going into the series. The loss of such a pivotal player raises concerns about the team’s prospects as they navigate the remainder of the match.
