“The way our fast bowlers have bowled has been the difference in the series” - Shubman Gill hails India’s pacers

Team India batter Shubman Gill reckons that the hosts’ impressive performance in the pace bowling department has been the big difference in the India-England Test series so far.

India are 2-1 up in the five-match series. They lost the first Test in Hyderabad by 28 runs, but came back brilliantly to clinch the next two matches and take the crucial lead. Jasprit Bumrah is the leading wicket-taker in the series with 17 scalps, while Mohammed Siraj picked up four wickets in the first innings in Rajkot.

At a press conference ahead of the fourth Test in Ranchi, which begins on Friday, February 23, Gill shared his thoughts on the team’s bowling strategy and reserved special praise for the fast bowlers.

“In India, wherever we play, there is some help for spinners. Our strategy will be the same as the previous games. It also depends on who wins the toss. Our spinners Ash bhai [Ravichandran Ashwin] and Jaddu bhai [Ravindra Jadeja] always take wickets here. But the way our fast bowlers have bowled has been the difference in the series,” Gill said.

The 24-year-old admitted that India would miss the services of Bumrah, who has been rested for the fourth Test. He, however, backed Siraj to lead the attack in Bumrah’s absence.

“Just like [Virat] Kohli, Bumrah is also a big player and will be missed. He is the leader of our pace attack, but I think the way Mohammad Siraj has bowled, especially in the last [first] innings of the Rajkot Test match, claiming four wickets at a very crucial time, (it was really good). All the bowlers have experience in Indian conditions," he added.

Siraj claimed 4/84 in the first innings in Rajkot as England crumbled from 224/2 to 319 all out.

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“Players are getting opportunities because of it” - Gill on Kohli’s absence

While Bumrah will be missing the fourth Test, senior batter Kohli has skipped the entire series to be with his family for the birth of his second child. Admitting that Kohli’s absence is a big loss, Gill preferred to look at the positives.

“When a player like Virat bhai is missing, it does make a difference. But, I think Sarfaraz [Khan] came in and performed really well. Players are getting opportunities because of it and they are doing pretty well,” the right-hander said.

Sarfaraz made a brilliant debut in the Rajkot Test. He scored 62 in the first innings before being run out and was not out on 68 in the second innings as India thumped England by a record 434 runs.