ENG vs IND 2025: Shubman Gill’s clueless captaincy at Headingley – Key mistakes and areas of improvement.
Replacing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as India’s Test captain was always a huge challenge, and Shubman Gill looked like someone finding his way in the job at Leeds. The pressure, undoubtedly, was on the young shoulders, especially after the BGT 2024-25 defeat and the failure to qualify for the WTC 2023-25 final.
Taking over from the two veterans, Gill missed the leadership ambiance around him. That was natural for someone playing his 33rd red-ball fixture in five years. Leading any side across five days is not simple, and to do it for India, thanks to all the pressure, makes it even harder.
Clueless Shubman Gill fails to fire energy and motivation
It was England’s first hour of batting in the first innings when Gill was standing at deep backward point. Ben Duckett flicked the ball towards the 25-year-old, who threw it back to the keeper on two bounces. That’s a sign of laziness on the side. And once the captain does that, it gets channeled among the entire side.
When Rohit and Kohli were present, one could easily tell who was in charge of the field. On the fifth day in Headingley, there were several captains of India. It was like a leadership committee. Everyone was giving their ideas and various field placements.
It can happen given how the seniors like Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul would always want to help the young captain as much as possible. However, the final decision should belong to the standing leader. Gill was more reactive than being proactive. The field placements didn’t seem to be part of the plan but were made mostly based on England’s batting.
Before taking the flight from India, the Punjab-born wanted to be ‘clear in communication’. When he faced the media alongside head coach Gautam Gambhir in Mumbai, Gill aimed for ‘clarity in the role.’ Unfortunately, in just five days, he appeared to be a cat on a hot tin roof.
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We were missing the passion and intensity Virat Kohli brought to the game. Ravi Shastri was right.
— Madan Lal (@MadanLal1983) June 24, 2025
Shubman Gill’s lack of Test intensity and poor planning
This was the first time a team had lost a five-day fixture, even after scoring five centuries. The previous instance came for Australia nearly 100 years ago when they ended on the losing side even after celebrating four centuries. This just tells how India lost the unlosable Test.
Defeat is bound to happen. No one can avoid that. But to lose from a dominating position raises the finger. The visitors had the chance to bat the home side out of the game on the second day. They had the chance to secure a heavy lead in the first inning. They were in a spot to bat the Ben Stokes-led side out of the contest again on the fourth day. Alas, they missed all the tricks.
Some of the shots from India’s number 8 to 11 were casual. There was a sense of irresponsibility. Shardul Thakur got the chance to feature in the game due to his batting ability. However, he played two expansive drives on both innings without any control.
To earn success in Test cricket, it’s unacceptable to lose intensity in any period of the game. There were certain moments when the entire team looked lethargic. Gill kept on going for the safe option by bringing his premier pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, on many occasions.
In the morning session, Mohammed Siraj displayed fine bowling, going past the outside edge of the blade. But he didn’t bowl from the 42nd to the 80th over, a period of 39 overs with two rain breaks.
On commentary, India’s former head coach, Ravi Shastri, screamed at Ravindra Jadeja for not bowling slowly and in the rough. Surprisingly, Gill didn’t go to the left-arm spinner and ask him to go a bit wider to counter Duckett’s reverse sweeps.
There was another moment when Shardul misfielded and took an eternity to get back on his feet. Rishabh Pant advised the Mumbai-born to recover quickly, but shouldn’t it come from Gill? It was hard to tell who was the captain in the field.
The only way to win a Test is by taking 20 wickets, and that was why the Blue Brigade went with the pace-bowling all-rounder. But it won’t work if he comes into the attack so late. Gill had an excellent opening day as India’s Test captain, but it became a nightmare four days later. However, he has no option but to learn quickly.
This England side has several flaws in the batting and bowling department. If the two-time WTC runners-up can plan well, they have all the resources to beat this side. They need to be switched on in the field.
For Gill, it’s about maintaining intensity in the field. He will soon realize that it’s good to be in a dressing room full of respect. But great and successful leaders bring fear and feistiness with them. Test captaincy comes with so much responsibility and prestige. Gill has a week to look in the mirror and bring improvement during the second Test in the Edgbaston.
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