Murali Kartik, a former Indian cricketer, voiced unhappiness with Shubman Gill’s captaincy during the first Test against England in Headingley, Leeds. India failed to defend a target of 371 in the last innings, ultimately losing by five wickets.
Kartik noted that Shubman Gill appeared to lack control in his debut as India’s Test captain, with various players contributing throughout the match.
He emphasised that, while older players’ recommendations are helpful, the captain must eventually take responsibility and lead firmly on the pitch.
“We can look for excuses, but the problem is that we [India] scored 835 runs, one bowler took five wickets, and India still lost by five wickets. I felt that there were too many captains. “I couldn’t understand that,” the cricketer-turned-commentator told NDTV.
“Sometimes KL Rahul suggested things, Rishabh Pant suggested things, and Shubman Gill did as well, so who is the genuine captain? I couldn’t grasp the messages being sent. There is one captain. I realise that if a veteran player notices someone out of place once or twice, they will make advice, but if this happens repeatedly, it is not a good indicator,” he continued.
I saw two or three captains by committee for India: Nasser Hussain
Former England captain Nasser Hussain, who pointed out that Gill lacks the on-field presence of experienced leaders like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Despite five Indian batters scoring centuries, India failed to defend a 371-run target and handed England a five-wicket victory and a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
“I saw someone finding his way. He (Gill) didn’t quite have that on-field aura of Rohit and (Virat Kohli). I thought he followed the ball a lot and was reactive rather than proactive. When Rohit and Kohli captained, you looked down, and you immediately knew who was in charge, but when I looked down in this game I saw two or three captains, captaincy by committee,” Hussain
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