Shubman Gill’s first few matches as India’s Test captain have not been easy and the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford has only made it tougher.
India might have posted a competitive 358, but the response from England’s openers exposed a glaring issue. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett piled on a 166-run opening stand.
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This opening stand not only put England in a strong position but also matched an unwanted record that brings Gill’s leadership and India’s bowling performance into question.
India’s bowling concerns increased under Shubman Gill’s captaincy
India has now conceded two 150-plus opening partnerships in just four Tests under Gill’s leadership.
What’s alarming is that this number equals the total such instances in the entire 68-Test captaincy reign of Virat Kohli. Under Rohit Sharma, across 24 Tests, this never happened even once.
The most recent blow came on Day 2 of the Manchester Test (July 24), when England’s openers, Duckett and Crawley, chased down the Indian total with ease, reaching 166 runs before a wicket fell.
With this, England ended the day at 225/2, trailing India’s total by just 133 runs and putting pressure right back on the visitors.
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This isn’t the first tough moment for Gill as captain in this series. All three matches so far have gone into the fifth day, and England now leads the series 2-1, with India needing a win to stay alive.
These back-to-back batting starts for England have placed Gill in a tough position, and his captaincy come under serious scrutiny.
Is this just bad luck or the beginning of a long-term concern?
With Gill still new to leadership at the Test level, some level of learning curve is expected. But the numbers don’t lie. Conceding two massive opening partnerships in four matches is not something India has been used to over the last decade.
The bowlers too, especially the pace unit, haven’t been consistent in applying pressure at the top. With England continuing to take advantage of flat pitches and tired arms, questions are now being asked: is it a problem of execution or leadership?
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India needs a sharp turnaround in the remainder of this Test if they want to level the series and silence the rising doubts surrounding Gill’s captaincy.