It was crucial for “world class” Shubman Gill to score runs and “call the shots”, former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar said on Wednesday.

India bounced back at Edgbaston to pummel England by 336 runs in the second Test and level the five-Test series 1-1, after starting the tour with a disappointing five-wicket loss in Leeds.

“He (Gill) did very well as a captain, as a batsman, it was very important that he scored runs so that he can call the shots and he can lead from the front, which is very important and he has done that,” Vengsarkar told the media.

“He is an experienced player. He is a world-class batsman and he showed that in England. Because of the English conditions, everybody was thinking what will happen to the Indian team in the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

“But these young players have shown that they are capable of doing it and I am very proud of them,” he said during the launch of Mumbai’s cricketing season 2025-26.

Gill’s tally of 585 runs in four innings puts him on track to break Donald Bradman’s tally of 974 runs, the highest in a Test series. The Australian great achieved the feat during the 1930 Ashes.

“Well, he is in great form and he is an outstanding batsman. I hope he does that. I don’t know whether he will do it, but I am sure that he has got an opportunity. He is in great form and he should do it, that’s what I feel.

“But then, what is important is not (get into chasing) personal milestone. Because we are obsessed with personal milestones, which is wrong. The important (point) is to win matches for our country. That is what matters. And the impact of an innings or a spell is what matters in the ultimate analysis,” he said.

Vengsarkar said India have done well in the first two Tests without some of their
key players.

“India have performed very well and if they win at Lord’s it will make a lot of difference. I expect them to win at Lord’s and go 2-1,” he said.

Written with inputs from PTI