London, June 28: Shubman Gill’s first Test as India’s full-time captain has sparked a chorus of concern, not only for the team’s defeat but for the manner in which it unfolded. After India failed to defend a fourth-innings target of 371, with England comfortably chasing it down to win by five wickets, former players have questioned Gill’s approach, with one describing the tactics as more reactive than assertive.Speaking on the Stick to Cricket show, David Lloyd raised concerns about Gill’s tactical nous and on-field clarity despite the young leader being surrounded by experienced players.
“The intrigue is with Shubman Gill, who’s a very inexperienced skipper. How’s he going to come back from that? He’s got Ravindra Jadeja and Karun Nair, who are in their 30s. So he’s got experience in his team. It’s great having a young team that he’s got. But tactically he’s reactive rather than proactive in the stuff that he’s doing,” Lloyd said.
Former England captain Alastair Cook offered a slightly more sympathetic take, comparing Gill’s early days to those of Ben Stokes, who also went through an adjustment period after taking over the England side.
“When you take over a team, there will always be a phase when the team gets used to the new leader. This happened with (Ben) Stokes when he came in. It took a while (for England players) to get used to him when he came in and said, ‘We’re going to try and smash every ball,’” Cook said.
Adding to the voices expressing concern was former Indian spinner Murali Kartik, who pointed to visible confusion on the field during Day 5 of the Leeds Test. Kartik highlighted how multiple players appeared to be issuing tactical instructions, which, in his opinion, muddled the chain of command.