India’s new Test skipper Shubman Gill made an unforgettable start to his leadership journey, scoring an unbeaten 127 runs on Day 1 of the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds. While fans celebrated Gill’s composed innings, former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar dropped a surprising admission — he was against Gill’s appointment as captain.
Speaking on JioStar, Manjrekar said, “I was against it. Let’s be honest. I thought Jasprit Bumrah was the better and more logical choice.”
However, he added that Gill proved him wrong, showing poise and correcting technical flaws that had troubled him in overseas conditions. Gill, who had previously averaged just 27 in Tests abroad, looked assured and in control throughout his innings.
Bumrah Opted Out of Captaincy
It has been revealed that Bumrah called the BCCI himself before Kohli and Rohit’s retirements, saying his body wouldn’t allow him to take on the captaincy in red-ball cricket. That cleared the path for Gill’s elevation.
A Day Dominated by India’s Young Guns
India ended Day 1 at 359/3, completely dominating the English bowling attack. Alongside Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal also made a statement with a brilliant 101, putting on a 129-run stand for the third wicket.
After Jaiswal’s dismissal, Rishabh Pant joined Gill and entertained with a blazing 65 off 63 balls*, including a signature six off Chris Woakes. The pair added an unbeaten 138-run stand, demoralizing a struggling English attack that missed stars like James Anderson, Jofra Archer, and Stuart Broad.
Historical Feat by Gill
Gill became only the fifth Indian to score a century on Test captaincy debut, joining legends like Gavaskar, Hazare, Vengsarkar, and Kohli.
Despite initial doubts over his appointment, the 25-year-old’s calm leadership and clinical batting gave India the upper hand on a sunny day in Leeds — and silenced critics in the best way possible.
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