IND vs ENG 4th Test: ‘Just like Ponting in 2005’– Dinesh Karthik backs Shubman Gill to lead India’s charge at Old Trafford | Cricket News
India may have ended Day 4 of the fourth Test on the back foot, but Dinesh Karthik believes Shubman Gill is showing the kind of leadership that can turn adversity into legacy. As England pushed hard for a win, Gill and KL Rahul stood firm, guiding India to 174 for 2 after a top-order collapse had left them 1 for 2 at lunch. Speaking during the broadcast, Karthik drew a powerful comparison between Gill’s knock and Ricky Ponting’s iconic 156 at Old Trafford in the 2005 Ashes. “Yesterday, we showed Ponting’s contribution in that Ashes series. He said it was his best hundred ever because he ended up saving that game at this very ground 20 years ago,” Karthik said. According to Karthik, that kind of inspiration is what Gill will need. “He is on the same path. He is the new leader, just been appointed captain of India. He’s shown what he can do with the bat,” he said.
Gill’s unbeaten 78 came under pressure after India’s dramatic collapse in the morning session, with Chris Woakes taking two wickets in two balls. But the way the 24-year-old responded gave Karthik confidence that Gill has the qualities to lead in tough moments. “There is another opportunity for him to assert himself as a leader. Come the tough moment, he’ll be there for the team. He’ll win so many players in the dressing room. The belief is, he is the fighter for us,” Karthik added.
