Onus on Gill to pick up the pieces and lift Team India’s morale

As shadows lengthened on day certainly one of the first Test between India and England in Leeds, Shubman Gill would have been a happy man. His aspect had reached a snug 359 for 3 and the captain had helped himself to 127 immaculate, unbeaten runs.

But fortune, as they are saying, has this uncanny knack of operating out with out forewarning, and over the subsequent 4 days, India slumped to a demoralising five-wicket defeat after having as soon as had England by the scruff of the neck.

As the second Test begins at Edgbaston right here from Wednesday, Gill has the arduous activity of choosing up the pieces and lifting the morale of a aspect that can be in the midst of a generational transition.

Gill’s scenario is eerily related to that of Virat Kohli. In August 2015, in his first full-fledged Test sequence as skipper, Kohli’s India fell to a crushing 63-run loss versus Sri Lanka in the opening tie in Galle.

The star batter had scored a first-innings century too however may solely watch as Angelo Mathews’ outfit broke out of the handcuffs and landed a fourth-innings knock-out punch. But Kohli gained the subsequent two matches, and thus the sequence. Gill might be hoping for a redux.

The incontrovertible fact that Gill led from the entrance along with his batting like Kohli had again then ought to assist. The 147-run knock in Headingley was the 25-year-old’s sixth Test hundred, second overseas and solely the first outdoors the subcontinent.

It’s not like he wanted the runs for his aura to construct and phrases to be heeded to however a performing captain instructions respect. Also, India not has Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and Gill, now at the No. 4 slot, is the fulcrum.

“He [Gill] was phenomenal,” stated coach Gautam Gambhir after Leeds. “Importantly, the way he batted in the first innings… I am sure he would have had his nerves. But being the captain for the first time and then getting a 100…”

For Gill, the expectations might be for this confidence to spill over into his captaincy. He was passable on debut, although there was a tinge of predictability to his bowling modifications and a reactionary really feel to his fielding placements. He may even have to plan for 2 contests sans lynchpin Jasprit Bumrah.

“He has everything that it takes to be a successful captain,” Gambhir insisted. “But we have to give him time. These are still very early days and these are tough places to captain. It’s like putting someone in the deep sea. I am sure he is going to come out as a proper professional.”

Speedster Prasidh Krishna, who performed below Gill at Gujarat Titans in the 2025 Indian Premier League, was effusive in his reward too.

“He did a pretty good job,” the 29-year-old stated. “All of us saw how he rotated the bowlers, ensured everybody had enough breaks and brought people in at the right times. He created a good atmosphere.” More of the similar in the second Test can doubtlessly revive India.