Indian captain Shubman Gill has advised the ICC not to tamper with Test cricket. The Indian team registered a thrilling six-run win against England at the Oval on Monday. After this, Gill spoke on this format. Actually, since the advent of franchise cricket and the T20 league, there is talk of a threat to Test cricket, but all five matches of the India-England series lasted till the fifth day and remained exciting. Gill quipped that if the Test matches were four-day matches, four matches of this series would have ended in a draw.
Gill said in the post-match press conference, 'In my opinion, Test cricket should remain as it is because it is the most beneficial and satisfying format. You have to work hard to win in it, and the best thing about this format is that it always gives you a second chance, which is not possible in any other format. If you keep working hard and in the right direction, you will always have a second chance. I don't think any changes should be made to this format.'
England captain Ben Stokes, who could not play the Oval Test due to a shoulder injury, said that it was special to be a part of this series. On the question of comparing this rivalry between India and England with the Ashes, he said, 'I think there has always been a great rivalry between India and England. It does not have just the name of Ashes attached to it, but this series has always been big. I don't think it will change.'
Stokes said, 'It has been very special to be a part of it. There were ups and downs and excitement in every match. Sometimes India had the upper hand, sometimes we did.' This series reminded Stokes of the Ashes held at home in 2023. He said, 'It has been very special to be a part of this series and experience five such matches. During the Ashes in 2023, we were in a similar situation when we had to come here and win the match. That was also a special series I was a part of.'
Gill also said that the fighting spirit shown by the Indian players is the identity of his team. After the retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and in the absence of senior players like Mohammed Shami, this was a big series for Gill and his team. Even Jasprit Bumrah was not available for all the matches, due to which the team had to change the bowling combination in every match.
England seemed to have the upper hand till the fourth day of the Oval Test. Centuries from Harry Brook and Joe Root kept England on the way to achieving the record target, but Mohammad Siraj and Prasidh Krishna made a strong comeback for the visiting team. Even on Monday morning, the conditions were not in India's favor, but Gill and company managed to get a spectacular win and level the series.
Gill said, 'What we did on Monday morning shows what this team is. Around 70 runs, seven wickets in hand (fourth day). The way Brook and Root were playing, most teams in the world do not give themselves a chance. But this team believes that whenever we get an opportunity, we move forward on it. And this is what we were talking about after Brooke got out and then we got Bethell's early wicket, this was our chance, let's try to put pressure on them.'
The Indian captain said, 'But when you have a bowler like Siraj, your job as a captain becomes very easy. You just stand on the field and you just want to appreciate his bowling.' Gill also flourished as a batsman and captain from this series. He said, 'There are many moments when you feel that this journey is worthwhile, the moment we saw in the morning. There were many ups and downs, and this is also expected, especially in sports.'
He said, 'Obviously, in every match or every time you go to bat, you want to perform well, you want to score a century. But unfortunately, sports or life do not work like this. You should overcome the ups and downs of life and try to stay balanced at all times.'
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