After brilliant outings at Headingley and Edgbaston, racking up 585 runs across two Tests, Gill struggled with the bat at Lord's. He scored just 16 and 6 in the two innings.
But it wasn't just his form that drew attention. A late-day confrontation with England opener Zak Crawley on Day 3 sparked fresh debate over Gill's leadership style and emotional control on the field.
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With cameras capturing Gill pointing fingers at Crawley during a brief standoff, former players from Australia and England have suggested that the young skipper may be forcing a confrontational persona—a trait that, they believe, could work against him.
What did Alyssa Healy say about Shubman Gill?
Australian women's captain Alyssa Healy weighed in on Gill's conduct and body language. She suggested that the opposition teams have found a way to get under new Indian skipper's skin.
She pointed out that if England senses any vulnerability in the Indian captain, they will look to exploit it, especially with two more Tests still to be played.
"I read some stuff about when teams go hard at (Shubman) Gill, it can rattle him a little bit. So if England have got even half a sniff at that, then that’s exactly what’s going to happen, knowing how successful he was in those first two Test matches, there’s a way to get under his skin a little bit," Healy said on Willow Talk Podcast.
Jonathan Trott calls out Shubman Gill's behavior as India captain
Former England batter Jonathan Trott was more direct in his assessment. Speaking on a broadcast, he criticised Gill for his finger-pointing and aggressive gestures during the Crawley incident.
Without naming names, he likened the behaviour to that of a former India captain.
"We don’t know what went on when England were fielding, whether they were dishing it out. But I don’t like the acting from Shubman Gill, as a captain, you set the tone. Pointing fingers and getting very confrontational, very much like a previous captain before getting in the face of the opposition," Trott said on JioHotstar.
With India trailing 2-1 in the series and the fourth Test set to begin on July 23, the pressure on Gill is only going to grow.