Looked Lost, Not in Control: Nasser Hussain Questions Shubman Gill’s Leadership After Leeds Defeat
Shubman Gill’s captaincy debut in the first Test against England has come under sharp scrutiny, with former England skipper Nasser Hussain expressing concern over his leadership style.
New Delhi: Shubman Gill’s captaincy debut in the first Test against England has come under sharp scrutiny, with former England skipper Nasser Hussain expressing concern over his leadership style. India suffered a five-wicket defeat at Headingley, sparking debate over Gill’s readiness to lead the national Test side.
Nasser Hussain: “Gill Lacks Aura of Rohit and Kohli”
Speaking on Sky Sports, Nasser Hussain remarked,
“I saw someone finding his way. He didn’t quite have that on-field aura of Rohit and Kohli. I thought he followed the ball a lot and was reactive rather than proactive.”
Hussain noted that under former captains like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, India had a clear command structure on the field, whereas in this match, it appeared as though leadership was shared by committee.
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England Pull Off Historic Run Chase
Despite five individual centuries by Indian batters, including Shubman Gill himself, England chased down a massive target of 371 — their second-highest successful run chase in Test history, and the highest ever against India. Ben Duckett’s aggressive 149 and steady innings from Joe Root (53*) and debutant Jamie Smith (44*) turned the tide in England’s favor.
Gill Not Solely to Blame, Say Experts
While Hussain criticized the young captain’s reactive approach, he also emphasized that Gill wasn’t entirely responsible for the loss.
“India lost the match because of two things Gill couldn’t control — dropped catches and batting collapses,” said Hussain.
Former England pacer Stuart Broad echoed the sentiment, pointing out that India “had so many opportunities to put this game to bed” but allowed England to claw their way back.
Collapse and Fielding Woes Cost India
India’s batting collapses in both innings—losing 7 for 41 in the first and 6 for 31 in the second—proved decisive. Despite tons from KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, and Shubman Gill, India couldn’t capitalize on their strong positions.
Bowling Imbalance in English Conditions
Another major concern was India’s bowling balance. Jasprit Bumrah led the attack with a five-wicket haul in the first innings, but he’s on a limited workload due to a recent back injury.
The absence of a quality seam-bowling all-rounder was felt, especially in English conditions. Hussain highlighted the gap:
“In India, they have spin-bowling all-rounders like Ashwin, Jadeja, and Axar. But in England, they’re still searching for someone who can bat and bowl seam.”
What Lies Ahead for Gill and Team India?
With four more Tests remaining in the high-stakes Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Shubman Gill and the team will have to regroup quickly. India’s bench strength, tactical approach, and fielding execution will be under heavy observation moving forward.
