5th Test: Key will be how Gill bats, India can push for a lead of over 300, says Aaron

London: Former India pacer Varun Aaron believes that captain Shubman Gill’s batting approach will set the tone of their second innings after finishing the day 2 for 75/2 with a brief lead of 52 runs.

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s half-century led India’s fightback after after the hosts were successful in grabbing two Indian wickets of KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan cheaply.

“I don’t think Gill will be taking any risky singles, that’s for sure. But I hope he plays just like he has throughout this series. He’s already broken multiple records and could even surpass Sunil Gavaskar’s tally in this series. If he gets a big one tomorrow, India can push for a lead of over 300 and that would really tilt the game. The key will be how Gill bats and I think he knows his role is central to India’s plans,” Aaron said on JioHotstar.

“I think India are in a good position. The wicket of Sai Sudharsan could have been avoided, but it was a great delivery, there wasn’t much he could have done. For me, the story of the day was the bowling spells from Siraj and Prasidh Krishna. They bowled with real heart. Even Akash Deep did a solid holding job. England started aggressively in the morning, almost shock-and-awe, but the Indian bowlers held their nerve. Shubman Gill, as captain, stayed calm, didn’t go defensive too early, and ensured England’s lead didn’t cross 30, which was crucial. Jaiswal’s innings looked risky at times and he had a few chances, but his aggressive intent was important. We’ve seen India struggle with run rate in this series — so someone needed to keep the scoreboard ticking. India now find themselves 50 runs ahead, which is a good position.”

Earlier on day 2, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna bagged four wickets each to bundle out England for 247/10 from 92/1. Aaron lauded Siraj and Krishna’s performance on the day to stage a fight back in the match.

“I always believed Siraj would come back and take wickets – that’s been his story this series. He might not have the best first spell – tends to go for runs – but that’s because he’s always hunting for wickets. You need bowlers like that. Today, he used his wobble seam really well – his most effective weapon. Once he trusted that and used the outswinger sparingly, he was at his best. That ball that swung back in and trapped the left-hander LBW – classic Siraj. You can call him a lionheart or an energiser bunny; he brings relentless energy and always delivers.”

“This had to be Prasidh’s day. He really stepped up, especially after Siraj had just bowled an eight-over spell and Akash Deep had done a long shift. Prasidh getting those breakthroughs was vital. If he hadn’t, we’d have had to turn to spin, and someone like Harry Brook could have taken advantage. Thanks to Prasidh, the bowlers didn’t have to overwork, and now they’re fresh and full of confidence heading into the next innings,” the former India pacer added.

IANS