Shubman Gill’s first outing as India’s Test captain turned into a hard reality check as England pulled off a stunning chase of 371 runs to win the series opener by five wickets. Even though five Indian batters scored centuries, the team failed to capitalise when it mattered most. Missed catches, below-par outfielding and a lower-order collapse proved costly in the final moments. England opener Ben Duckett produced the innings of his career with a fearless 149. His effort, supported by Zak Crawley’s steady 65, Joe Root’s composed 53 and Jamie Smith’s lively 44, highlighted India’s struggle to contain an in-form English batting line-up.
Legendary former captain Sunil Gavaskar weighed in on Gill’s first match as skipper and did not hold back on what went wrong. Speaking on Sony Sports, Gavaskar praised England’s self-belief but pointed out that India failed to match that confidence. He said that despite having five centurions, India could not get the crucial final breakthroughs because the sloppy fielding and lack of sharpness allowed England to stay ahead.Quiz: Who’s that IPL player? Gavaskar also defended the bowlers considering the pitch was ideal for batting but stressed the need for tighter support around Jasprit Bumrah. He called on Gill and the team to take this defeat as an important lesson. According to Gavaskar, it is time to stop relying on optional practice sessions and put in focused training. He urged the players to use the next few days wisely and come back better prepared to fight back in the series. Gill now has the task of lifting the morale and tightening the team’s execution before the next Test.
