LONDON: India skipper Shubman Gill did not appear as "technically tight" and lacked his usual composure when he came out to bat in the second innings of the third Test, according to former England captain Michael Vaughan. However, Vaughan also lauded India’s fighting spirit on the final day at Lord’s.
Gill had been in sublime form earlier in the series, scoring a century in the first Test at Headingley, followed by a record-breaking century and double ton in Birmingham, where India secured a resounding 336-run win.
But at Lord’s, Gill managed only 16 and 6 across two innings, and India narrowly lost the match by 22 runs, despite a spirited resistance from all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and the lower order.
"When things got spicy on the third evening, I felt that brought the best out of England for the remainder of the game," Vaughan wrote in his column for The Telegraph.
"Shubman Gill did not look as technically tight or calm as usual when he came out to bat on the fourth evening, but his team fought so hard on Monday in a fabulous Test."
England’s thrilling win handed them a 2-1 lead in the series and, according to Vaughan, was underpinned by the “winning mentality” of captain Ben Stokes.
"England have never had a captain quite like Ben Stokes. One who simply refuses to accept defeat, one who won’t concede even when his team is under pressure, and who can single-handedly swing a match with his skill and sheer willpower," he wrote.
Stokes played a pivotal role in the high-stakes encounter — taking five wickets and contributing with the bat (44 and 33 runs), in addition to effecting a crucial run out of Rishabh Pant in the first innings, a moment Vaughan identified as a major turning point.
"It was Stokes who stuck with Joe Root on the first evening to ensure they scraped together a score. It was Stokes who pulled off that brilliant run-out before lunch on day three when India seemed to be taking control.
"And it was Stokes who picked up key wickets in both innings, bowled that epic spell early on the final day, and broke Jasprit Bumrah's resistance. He simply knows how to win the biggest moments in Test cricket."
While Vaughan acknowledged that this England team still had a way to go before being considered one of the great sides, he praised their thrilling style of play.
"England are a long way from belonging in the same bracket as the greats, but you cannot take your eyes off them. They play such an extraordinary brand of cricket and can turn games around from almost any position.
"That’s partly because they have to, given their shortcomings and there are some significant ones which often put them in trouble. But their ability to claw back is a very special trait."
Vaughan said the series is shaping up to be "unforgettable", describing the sides as evenly matched and suggesting that India have arguably dominated more sessions than England despite trailing 2-1.
"There is a sense of rancour in the air, and the teams are evenly matched. India are 2-1 down, but you'd have to say they've won more sessions than England. Yet, thanks to the spirit of Stokes and his team, England have clinched two matches they might easily have lost."
He singled out Stokes’ delivery to dismiss KL Rahul as particularly special and also hailed the impact of returning pacer Jofra Archer.
"Stokes' bowling was exceptional. To be hitting 90mph at 34, after all his injuries, with the backspin, movement, angle, and relentless length he looked horrible to face.
"And the return of Jofra Archer is the icing on the cake. He brings genuinely nasty pace. Look at the ball he bowled to Rishabh Pant on the final morning it set England on their way to victory."