Manchester, July 22 (IANS) Ahead of the crucial fourth Test at Old Trafford starting on Wednesday, legendary batter Ricky Ponting has backed India skipper Shubman Gill’s on-field aggression during the Lord’s Test and said he was standing up for his team.

With the series level at 1-1 heading into the Lord’s Test last week, the fiercely contested third Test between England and India delivered plenty of on-field tension. One of the more heated moments came late on Day 3, when Gill had an animated exchange with England’s openers.

After India matched England’s first-innings total of 387, they hoped to sneak in two quick overs in the final six minutes of the day. But those plans were thwarted as Zak Crawley took his time by pulling out of two deliveries during Jasprit Bumrah’s run-up and calling the physio for a hand injury, leading to a fiery confrontation between Gill and the two openers.

ICC Hall of Famer Ponting understood why Gill’s aggressive posturing at Lord’s was met with surprise.

“That was a little out of character from what I’ve known from Shubman in the past,” Ponting told host Sanjana Ganesan in the latest episode of The ICC Review. “I am sure everyone who was there watching it and I know you would know him quite well, that’s not what he’s generally like.”

However, the former Australia skipper said it was a case of Gill taking a stand for his team in the scenario.

“That’s the captain standing up for his team, that’s a captain really wanting to show that it’s his team now and this is the way that we’re going to play the game, and also, I guess, wanting to give a little bit back.”

Ponting played Tests in England across four separate tours, and twice as captain (2005 and 2009). He said that the pressures of such a high-profile tour could get to a skipper.

“The UK can be a hard place to play. The crowds, as much as they love their game, can be as hostile a place to play as anywhere in the world.

“The media there, when you’re in a big series, when it’s an Ashes series or when it’s England and India, the media always feel like they’re right on top of your back as well.”

Ponting also felt that during a high-intensity Test – which India narrowly lost by just 22 runs – Gill needed to assert himself and lead with authority, much like former captain Virat Kohli often did.

“I think that’s him starting to put his stamp on his team. And a lot like Virat (Kohli) did, similar ways like that. Rohit (Sharma) probably was never as outwardly aggressive, I guess, especially to opposition players.

“I know he (Rohit) would quite often get aggressive with his teammates and try to bring the best out of them that way. But I love watching Shubman stand up for what he thought was right in the game last week.”

–IANS

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