India’s new Test captain Shubman Gill faced sharp criticism following his debut match as skipper, where England completed a record 371-run chase on Day 5 of the 1st Test at Headingley. Former cricketers questioned his defensive field settings, especially under overcast conditions, which allowed England to get off to a flying start.
‘Virat Would’ve Gone for the Kill’: Manjrekar Weighs In
On JioHotstar, Sanjay Manjrekar remarked:
“Shubman Gill went too defensive. He had too many boundary riders early on. Someone like Virat Kohli would’ve said, ‘I’ll bowl you out before Tea.’”
Manjrekar noted that while Gill tried to cut boundaries and build pressure passively, it allowed England to score freely. He acknowledged Gill’s limited pace resources, but still emphasized that India lacked initial attacking intent.
“Even with Jadeja, the field was pre-emptively defensive. That’s not how you begin Day 5 with 10 wickets to get. Gill should’ve started standard and adjusted.”
However, Manjrekar also urged patience:
“He’s new to captaincy. He’ll learn. But comparisons with Kohli are inevitable when defending big totals.”
Duckett and Crawley’s Record Stand Sets the Tone
England’s opening duo—Ben Duckett (149) and Zak Crawley (65)—put together 188 runs, the fifth-highest opening stand in a fourth innings in Test history. The pair batted fluently despite challenging overhead conditions.
- Lunch Score: 117/0
- Missed Chances: Jaiswal dropped Duckett on 97; Bumrah couldn’t hold a return catch from Crawley.
Even after India broke through post-lunch, wickets from Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur couldn’t stem the tide. Joe Root (53) and debutant Jamie Smith (44)** ensured a composed finish, with Smith sealing victory with a six.
England’s Refined Bazball Strikes Again
This was England’s second-highest successful chase in Test cricket, and their 12th successful chase under Brendon McCullum. The win was a testament to their evolved version of Bazball—aggression mixed with maturity.
- First time in Test history: All 4 innings over 350 runs.
- India’s total of 364 in the second innings seemed daunting—until it wasn’t.
The Gill Era Begins With Lessons
With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma now retired, Shubman Gill’s leadership era begins with hard lessons. While his calm demeanor is praised, tactical assertiveness under pressure will be key moving forward.
India now trail 0-1 in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
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