Sachin Tendulkar says India should've played ‘boring cricket’ against England; shares his views on Shubman Gill's captaincy

In a sharp observation on India’s tactical response during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar said the team under Shubman Gill could have slowed things down and opted for “boring cricket” instead of trying to match England’s fast-paced ‘Bazball’ approach. He acknowledged Gill’s calmness in his maiden stint as India’s Test captain but noted that strategic tweaks could have led to a better outcome.

“When you play against England, you can afford to play boring cricket. If you try slowing things down, they will try putting their foot on the accelerator harder. This could work in favour of the fielding side sometimes. Overall, he controlled the team and game well,” Tendulkar said in a video posted on his Reddit account.

Gill led India after retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, ending the five-Test series 2-2 in what was his first series as captain. While praising his temperament and composure, Tendulkar pointed out that there were moments when Gill looked short of options, particularly when the bowling unit leaked runs.


“Captaincy has a lot to do with how bowlers are bowling, how disciplined they are, and how long they can persist with their plans. Sometimes, when things do not go their way, they start experimenting,” Tendulkar said.

“That is where the captain feels that the 11 players he has are not enough; I need 2-3 more because runs are flowing from both ends, and it is not comforting at all. He still looked calm and composed. When a partnership is going on, it is difficult for any captain to have a game plan and dry those runs,” he added.

“No ifs and buts in cricket,” says Tendulkar

Tendulkar clarified that while Gill made solid decisions in a difficult debut series as skipper, there were areas for improvement.

“There were areas where things could have been different, but everyone has different opinions; it was his first series against perhaps the most attacking side in the world. The way they bat, no one else brings that approach. Overall, a fantastic approach. 2-2. Things could have been different, but there are no ifs and buts in cricket,” he said.

On the batting front, Gill stood out by scoring 754 runs at an average of 75.40 — the highest across both teams.

“No dull moment” with Rishabh Pant, says Tendulkar

Tendulkar also reserved praise for vice-captain Rishabh Pant, who returned to play after sustaining a foot injury during the fourth Test in Manchester and went on to score a half-century. The veteran termed him a “great team man” and highlighted his unconventional sweep shot that includes falling to the ground for better elevation.

“If we talk about Rishabh, there is no dull moment when he is out in the middle. I enjoyed his batting. Especially the sweep shot, when he tries to get under the ball, to scoop it and get the elevation. People think that he falls while playing the shot, but it is intentional so that he can get under the ball,” he said.

“The secret is to get under the ball. The plan is to fall, it is not being off-balance. If the length is near him, he falls; otherwise, he plays it normally. I really enjoyed that,” he added.

Pant amassed 479 runs in the series at an average of 68.42 with two centuries and three fifties in four Tests. His gritty comeback with a broken foot became one of the highlights of the series.

“He has figured out his game and used his experience brilliantly. He organised in his head and executed his game plan perfectly. Everyone sees his contribution. He broke his foot at Old Trafford. But he was there for the team when they needed him. This is what a great team man is all about, and the way he attracted the eyeballs was remarkable,” Tendulkar said.

Jaiswal and KL Rahul laid the foundation, says Sachin

Tendulkar further applauded the performances of openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored 532 and 411 runs respectively. He noted that India’s strong starts with the bat helped the team construct sizable totals across the series.

“The way both openers batted, they have laid a solid foundation all the series. KL did 500-plus runs, Jaiswal also scored close to 500 runs. This had not happened for a long time. This foundation is critical, we have been able to do it successfully,” he said.

Tendulkar called Rahul’s approach “precise and organised,” noting how his technique frustrated England’s bowlers.

“I thought KL scored superbly, one of the best I have seen him bat. His defence, close to the body and the way he was leaving, he looked so organised and in control. I saw he was frustrating the bowlers, because he was not playing, and they would wonder where they could bowl him,” Tendulkar said.

On Jaiswal, Tendulkar was impressed by his adaptability and maturity.

“Jaiswal impressed me because of his mindset. He is fearless, knows how to accelerate, when to be at the non-strikers' end, and when to play a phase out carefully. You cannot bat in a single gear. You need to use different gears. This is what he did right from the first Test,” he said.

He also credited Jaiswal’s leadership on the field, especially when guiding nightwatchman Akash Deep to a fifty during their stand at The Oval.

“In the last Test, when he scored a century, a magnificent one on a difficult track to bat on. He showed character, maturity and determination. The way he guided Akash Deep, motivated him to score, it was a treat to watch,” Tendulkar added.