Virat Kohli would have said, 'I'll get England all out before Tea': Shubman Gill's defensive captaincy under fire

By Admin

25 Jun, 2025

The India vs England first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy ended in dramatic fashion, but not the kind that Indian fans hoped for. England pulled off a historic chase of 371 runs their second-highest successful run chase in Tests handing Shubman Gill a tough initiation into Test captaincy. What followed was a flurry of criticism, with many questioning Gill’s overly defensive tactics, particularly on Day 5. Among the voices of dissent was former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, who drew a sharp comparison with Virat Kohli’s captaincy style, igniting a fresh debate.

Overcast Skies, Defensive Fields

Day 5 began under overcast conditions ideal for bowlers to exploit swing and seam. But instead of pressing the attack, Shubman Gill set the field with several boundary riders, a move that baffled experts and fans alike. “Most people felt Shubman Gill went too defensive. But I think he was trying to trap England by cutting off boundaries, hoping the wickets would come eventually,” said Sanjay Manjrekar on JioHotstar.

But it wasn’t just a matter of strategy it was about intent. “I hate to bring Virat Kohli into this as a comparison because Shubman is a young captain, but Kohli would never have set such a defensive field,” Manjrekar added. “He might have said: ‘We have enough runs, I’ll get them all out before Tea.’”

England Embrace "Bazball" With Precision

The English openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley took full advantage of the passive field. The duo stitched together a mammoth 188-run partnership, making it the fifth-highest fourth-innings opening stand in Test history. Duckett’s 149 and Crawley’s composed 65 laid the foundation for a memorable chase, while India’s bowlers toiled under a plan that seemed too cautious from the outset.

Despite a short burst of hope after lunch when Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur picked up quick wickets England remained unshaken. Even after Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Ben Stokes, the pair of Joe Root (53*) and Jamie Smith (44*) calmly guided the hosts to victory. Smith sealed the win with a towering six, a symbol of England’s refined aggression under Brendon McCullum.

Lack of Firepower?

Manjrekar did acknowledge one major difference between Gill’s and Kohli’s captaincy eras: the bowling attack. “Gill doesn’t have the same seam attack as Kohli no Shami, no Ishant, and even though Bumrah is there, the support system is weaker,” he explained. “Even with Jadeja, I felt India should’ve started with a standard field rather than pre-empting reverse sweeps. Show some attacking intent, even if only for a few overs.”

Yet, excuses are hard to justify when chances go begging Duckett was dropped on 97 by Jaiswal, and Crawley survived a return chance to Bumrah. Those missed opportunities only amplified the flaws in India’s defensive mindset.

A Learning Curve for Gill

While the criticisms are loud and pointed, there’s still space for understanding. Shubman Gill is new to Test captaincy, and handling pressure in a high-stakes series is no small feat. As Manjrekar rightly put it, “I don’t want to be overly critical of Shubman. He’s a young captain, and we should be understanding of that.”

The first Test may have exposed cracks in strategy and execution, but it also offered a lesson: in Test cricket, boldness often wins the day. And perhaps next time, Gill will embrace the attacking flair that once made Kohli’s captaincy so compelling.