Shubman Gill kicked-off his captaincy career on a challenging note as India recorded its five-wicket loss against England in the Test match at Headingley on Tuesday. Despite being in a dominant position for most of the match, India failed to register a win, whereas England managed to pull off their second-highest successful chase in Test history.
The match also marked the beginning of a new chapter in the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. At just 25, Gill has taken over as India’s youngest Test skipper. His maiden outing as a Captain, though led to defeat, but showed glimpses of leadership potential, something that was emphasised by the head Coach Gautam Gambhir in his post-match remarks.
Gambhir defended the young captain’s effort and urged the critics to allow him space to grow. “These are tough places to captain. It’s like pushing someone into the deep sea, and I am sure he is going to come out as a proper professional.”
“Look, first Test match, obviously, there are nerves. It’s a great honour. As he’s already mentioned, captain of the Test side-not many people get that opportunity and he was phenomenal, “Gambhir mentioned in a post-match press conference.
India lost despite delivering a strong start
India planned to record their first victory at Headingley since 2002 after registering a total of 364 in the first innings, backed by centuries from Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul. Gill contributed with a strong performance of 147 and collaborated on a 195-run stand along with Pant. However, a familiar pattern appeared as India’s lower order fell for the second time in the match.
Gill’s debut performance as Test captain
Gill’s captaincy debut was not marked without personal achievements. His robust knock of 147 was a highlight, though he fell short of 150 after trying an ambitious shot. On the other hand, in the second innings, he just managed to score 8 runs before getting out.
England, chasing 371 for the triumph, turned the picture with Ben Duckett’s aggressive 149 and Joe Root’s unbeaten 53. Their composed strategy impacted India’s lack of execution on the final day and ensured a win for the hosts.