'Absolute class act': Former fast bowler Kyle Mills compares India youngster to New Zealand great Martin Crowe
India vs England: Mills feels the batsman is a visual treat to the eyes, a trait similar with New Zealand great Martin Crowe.
It's two days until the start of the India vs England Test series and all eyes will be on the battle between two of the best Test teams in the world. Both teams are high on confidence, with India coming off a remarkable come-from-behind Test series in in Australia and England putting on an impressive show in Sri Lanka to take the series 2-0. Although India boast a strong record at home, they would remember that the last series they lost at home was to England, who will be eager to repeat their feat from nine years ago.
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Most of the focus from India's point of view will be on Virat Kohli and his return. The India captain went back home after the first Test in Adelaide, after which Ajinkya Rahane led from the front and inspired one of India's biggest Test series win of all time. But having said that, while the senior players will obviously have a role to play, there is equal excitement around the youngsters in the team, the likes of Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant and Mohammed Siraj among others.
Speaking of youngsters, Kyle Mills, the former New Zealand fast bowler, is excited with the prospect of Shubman Gill becoming a big match player for India. Gill had a fine start to his Test career, scoring 259 runs in three Tests, including two half-centuries and so impressed is Mills with Gill that the former quick feels the 21-year-old is a visual treat to the eyes, a trait similar with New Zealand great Martin Crowe.
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"Class act, absolute class act. He is the player I love watching best. When I grew up here in New Zealand, there was a very stylist batsman called Martin Crowe, one of New Zealand’s best batters," Mills said on his YouTube channel. "He was lovely on the eye to watch and Shubman Gill is like this. He is a beautiful player to watch out in the middle. I think it's going to be fascinating to see how he builds his international career over the next decade."
Besides Gill, Mills has high expectation of Cheteshwar Pujara, believing India's No. 3 batsman has what it takes to shape the way India's batting unfolds. Pujara produced a defiant performance in Australia, batting heroically in Sydney and Brisbane to produce two great results for the Indian team.
"Pujara had a very good series in Australia. I hope he’s recovered from all the bruises that he took on his body throughout that series, because Australia really peppered him with the short ball but he is prepared to have a long stay at the crease," Mills said of Pujara.
"He is the one, depending on the English combination and what they go for, either Anderson or Broad… he will be the one to take the shine off the ball big time and let the stroke-makers play around him."
