Following India's recent Test defeat against England at Headingley, former England captain Nasser Hussain and former India coach Ravi Shastri have weighed in on Shubman Gill's captaincy and the team's performance. While acknowledging Gill's potential, Hussain pointed out that the young captain is still finding his feet and lacks the imposing aura of his predecessors, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
"I saw someone finding his way," Hussain observed, highlighting Gill's relative inexperience. "He didn't quite have that on-field aura of Rohit and [Virat Kohli]. I thought he followed the ball a lot and was reactive rather than proactive. When Rohit and Kohli captained, you looked down and you immediately knew who was in charge but when I looked down in this game I saw two or three captains, captaincy by committee."
Hussain's comments suggest that Gill, while talented, needs time to grow into the leadership role and establish his authority on the field. Kohli, in particular, was known for his aggressive and passionate leadership, which transformed India into a formidable Test side. Hussain himself has reflected on Kohli's impact, stating, "Test match cricket is so much better when Kohli was playing...But Kohli added so much to this game of cricket.” Kohli's retirement earlier this year has undoubtedly left a void in the Indian team, not just in terms of batting but also in terms of leadership. Atherton noted, "You kind of pity the person who has to follow because you've just had about 15 years of Kohli and before that, it was Sachin Tendulkar," highlighting the immense pressure on Gill to fill Kohli's shoes.
The defeat at Headingley exposed other areas of concern for the Indian team, particularly their batting collapses and dropped catches. Shastri emphasized the need for "more bottle from the tail," urging the lower-order batsmen to show greater resilience and put a higher price on their wickets. He also stressed the importance of the coaching staff in addressing these issues and ensuring that the team learns from its mistakes. "As a captain, I think he's done more than can be asked of him... there are things that are out of his control, you know dropping catches is not in his control," Shastri said, defending Gill.
Adding to India's woes, both Hussain and Shastri highlighted the lack of a genuine seam-bowling all-rounder in the squad. Hussain has previously noted the importance of a Ben Stokes or Cameron Green-type player who can contribute with both bat and ball, especially in overseas conditions. Shastri echoed this sentiment, lamenting the absence of a "Hardik Pandya" figure who can provide balance to the team. "In India they have had spin-bowling all-rounders that are magnificent - Ravi Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel - but in England they are still looking for a seam-bowling all-rounder who can bat," Shastri observed.
The "Jadeja blunder" that Nasser flagged likely refers to the missed opportunity to utilize Jadeja's capabilities effectively, either with the bat or ball, or perhaps a tactical decision where his skillset could have been better employed. Hussain had previously praised Kohli's clever use of Jadeja in the past, contrasting it with perceived shortcomings in England's tactics.
With the second Test at Edgbaston looming, India faces a tough challenge to regroup and address these shortcomings. The team needs Gill to step up as a leader, the batsmen to show more resilience, and the coaching staff to find solutions to the team's balance issues. The talk surrounding Hardik Pandya's potential return to Test cricket is likely to intensify as India searches for that elusive seam-bowling all-rounder who can provide the team with much-needed stability and firepower.
