Shubman Gill’s ‘defensive’ captaincy faced compared to Virat Kohli’s approach

India’s defeat in the first Test at Leeds against England, is a bit tough to digest. Yes, there were problems with bowling, batting and fielding, but Shubman Gill’s defensive captaincy was an issue too. And so thinks expert Sanjay Manjrekar. Speaking at Star Sports’ Game Plan, the veteran said, though a talented batter, Gill left a lot to be desired for, in the captaincy department.

Shubman Gill vs Virat Kohli as Captain

“I just hope he can carry on after getting to a 108 or 120 because now he knows what could happen if he gets out. So that is something he will start doing,” he said. Talking about the field placements, Manjrekar said, “Overcast conditions, I know the ball wasn’t doing too much, but they pre-empted the English approach and had a far too defensive field.

“I hate to bring Virat Kohli as a comparison because it’s unfair on the young man, but you can just imagine Virat Kohli in that situation.” Further elaborating on this, Manjrekar said, that Kohli would have given the message to the opposition, that he was trying to get them out.

Sanjay Manjrekar Talks About Defensive Approach

“Whether they would have got wickets or not, Kohli would have shown the opposition that he’s trying to get them out. Gill is not that kind of personality, nor that kind of captain. But maybe don’t go so defensive pre-empting things,” he added. Now, the second Test starts at Edgbaston on July 6, and the biggest selection headache for India would be, whether Jasprit Bumrah plays or not.

Other concerns will be the failures of Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Ravindra Jadeja with the ball. Shardul Thakur’s place in the team could also be a point of discussion.