Shubman Gill’s reaction to pressure and sledging from England during Day 4 of the third Test at Lord’s has been questioned by former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, suggesting the young batter looked unsettled and tentative at the crease.

“When Gill walked out to bat on Day 4, I expected England to give it back to him. After all, he had lost his temper earlier, and that’s part of the game,” Manjrekar said on JioStar.

“What disappointed me, though, was how it seemed to affect Shubman Gill,” he expressed.

Comparing Gill’s temperament with that of Virat Kohli, Manjrekar noted a clear difference.

“When something similar happened with Virat Kohli, he would get even more fired up and become a better batter. But with Gill, the effect wasn’t the same. He came out looking tentative.

“Some of the sledging by English players included personal attacks. This might have been unfamiliar territory for Gill, especially considering that Indian players today often receive a friendly reception from touring sides. But Gill didn’t seem up for the challenge. The way he batted reflected that, and I have no doubt there’s a connection between the sledging and his uncertainty at the crease,” he added.

On Gill’s captaincy during the ongoing England tour and what lies ahead, Manjrekar said: “Gill is a young captain, and he has already surpassed expectations, both with the bat and as a leader. The scoreline might be close, but India has won a Test match, and that’s credit to how he has gone about it. This eight-day break comes at a perfect time for him. He has good people around him, and his father, more than anyone, would know what kind of personality Shubman really is, whether he’s a potential Virat Kohli or Dhoni, or somewhere in between.

“I’m guessing somewhere in between. He has to find his own path now, a path that enhances both, his leadership and his batting. And, if there is anything coming in the way of either, he’s got to quickly let go of it. In the first Test, he was leaning heavily on Rishabh Pant and others. In the second, he started asserting himself, and the results followed. Now, after this little setback in the third Test, we might see the best of Shubman Gill, the captain, in Manchester. Hopefully, we’ll also see the best of Shubman Gill, the batter,” he concluded.