Media365
NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria lauded India’s spirited Test series performance against England, which ended 2-2 in the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. He reserved special praise for young captain Shubman Gill, who led from the front in the absence of senior pros Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, guiding India to a thrilling six-run win in the final Test at The Oval.Gill finished as the leading run-scorer of the series with a remarkable 754 runs, including four centuries, and was named Player of the Series by England head coach Brendon McCullum.
“Incredible — Test cricket at its absolute best,” Kaneria said. “There’s nothing that compares to the demands of Test cricket. It tests every ounce of a player’s physical and mental toughness over five days. This young Indian team, without Rohit and Virat, performed unbelievably under Shubman Gill’s leadership. He carried the team on his shoulders and scored over 700 runs — it’s simply outstanding.”Mohammed Siraj was another standout performer. The Hyderabad pacer bagged a five-wicket haul in the second innings of the final Test and ended the series as the top wicket-taker.“Mohammed Siraj is a true lion-heart. His commitment to the team is unmatched,” said Kaneria. “To play all five Tests, all of which went the distance, and to bowl with the same intensity shows his incredible fitness and passion. He carried the pace attack on his shoulders.”India’s victory in the final Test was shaped by key contributions across the board. Yashasvi Jaiswal laid the platform with a blistering 118, while Akash Deep’s gritty 66 in the second innings proved pivotal.“The turning point, in my opinion, was Akash Deep’s 66. Those runs gave India a much-needed boost,” Kaneria noted. “Jaiswal’s attacking century, along with late-order runs from Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, played a major role in sealing the win.”
