New Delhi – Shubman Gill’s Test captaincy debut has sparked sharp criticism following India’s inability to defend a massive 371-run target against England in the first Test. As England’s openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley piled on a 188-run stand, Gill appeared directionless, with many pointing to a lack of tactical clarity on Day 5.
While senior players like KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant were seen frequently advising bowlers and setting fields, former India spinner Murali Kartik expressed concern over the apparent leadership confusion on the field.
“We can look for excuses but the problem is that we scored 835 runs, one bowler picked up five wickets and despite that India lost the game by five wickets. I felt as if there were too many captains. I could not understand that. Sometimes KL Rahul was suggesting things, Rishabh Pant was suggesting things, Shubman Gill was doing it too, who is the actual appointed captain. I could not understand these signals being made. There is one captain,” Kartik said on Cricbuzz.
Kartik added that while occasional input from senior players is natural, it became too frequent, undermining the authority of the official captain.
“I understand that if a senior player sees someone out of the place once or twice they make suggestions but it kept happening again and again which is not a good sign,” he said.
‘Shubman Gill Was Feeling the Pressure’
Gill, captaining India in a Test for the first time, struggled to rally his bowlers as England’s chase went largely unchallenged. Kartik pointed out how Gill looked overwhelmed by the situation, often reacting to every shot by adjusting fielders without a clear plan.
“It looked at a point as though Gill was feeling the pressure. He kept placing fielders wherever the ball went. It is not as easy to stamp your authority as captain. You did it with your batting but when your bowlers do not perform it becomes very tough and it was evident. 371 runs are a lot of runs. It never looked as though any wicket was going to fall in the first session,” Kartik said.
India now faces pressure to regroup and rethink its on-field leadership dynamics ahead of the remaining matches in the series. Critics argue that while Gill has promise as a batter, captaining at the Test level demands firmer control, clarity, and the ability to command respect — especially in high-stakes run-defence scenarios.