"He gets his bat ahead of his pads" - Dinesh Karthik highlights major change in Shubman Gill's game post twin tons in ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test

Former Indian wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik praised skipper Shubman Gill for improving his defensive technique in the ongoing England Test tour. The 25-year-old has broken records for fun in the first two Tests, especially in the ongoing second Test at Edgbaston.

After his sublime 147 in the series opener at Leeds ended in an Indian defeat, Gill took his level up a notch, scoring a remarkable 269 in the first innings of the Edgbaston Test. He became the highest scorer by an Indian batter in England in Tests and recorded the best score ever by an Indian captain.

Gill's appetite for big runs did not stop as he scored another brilliant 161 to take his match tally to 430 runs, second all-time behind only Graham Gooch.

Talking about the Indian captain's transformational series after Day 4 of the second Test, Karthik told Sky Sports (2:41):

"The one difference - the ball coming in had troubled him quite a bit but it does feel like he gets his bat ahead of his pads these days. The defense has looked solid. He has said in an interview that he has worked on his technique before coming to England and it is showing."

He added:

"The pitches haven't had too much for the bowlers so when it gets spicier, we will really know how much he has worked on it. But, for the moment, he definitely looks very comfortable when he is batting. More than the technique, it is the mental fortitude that he has shown, batting long periods and having the hunger, to get a big one."

Gill has already scored 585 runs in four innings thus far in the series at a stunning average of 146.25 with three centuries.

"He put a lot of the blame for the defeat at Headingley upon him" - Michael Atherton on Shubman Gill

Former England captain Michael Atherton believes Shubman Gill taking responsibility for India's defeat in the opening Test made him determined to score big in the ongoing second Test. Despite the skipper's 147 in the Leeds encounter, India suffered lower-order collapses to gift the hosts an opportunity to claw back into the game.

England eventually chased down 371 on the final day with five wickets remaining to capture a 1-0 lead.

"Before the game, in the pre-match press conference, he put a lot of the blame for the defeat at Headingley upon him and the other batters, who gave it away a little bit. He didn't really reflect on that last day when his captaincy was under the microscope and England had that mammoth chase," said Atherton (via the aforementioned source).

He added:

"He said we should have buried that game, I got out on 147 and those two collapses let England back in the game. So, he seemed doubly determined not to let that happen here. He has scored so many runs after just two Tests that there are some significant records that may come within his sight if the sun continues to shine and the pitches stay flat."

Gill's record outing at Edgbaston has India closing on a series-levelling victory, with England reeling at 72/3 in their run chase of 608.