Shubman Gill began Day 5 under overcast skies with an overly defensive field, placing multiple boundary riders—something Sanjay Manjrekar felt Virat Kohli would have never done.
Shubman Gill Defensive Tactics Questioned After England’s Stunning Chase
Shubman Gill’s captaincy on Day 5 of the India vs England first Test drew criticism after England successfully chased 371, their second-highest run chase, to win the opening match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. In his debut as India’s Test captain, Gill was faulted for a defensive approach, with many pointing out his tendency to follow the ball and set overly cautious fields.
“Most people felt Shubman Gill went too defensive. But I think he was trying to trap England by cutting off boundaries, hoping the wickets would come eventually,” said former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar on JioHotstar.
Manjrekar noted that Shubman Gill started Day 5 under overcast skies with multiple boundary riders, a tactic that reduced pressure from close-in fielders—something he felt Virat Kohli would not have done.
“I hate to bring Virat Kohli as a comparison as Shubman Gill is a young captain, but he would not have put such a defensive field. Kohli would have said: We have enough runs, I’ll get you all out before Tea,” Manjrekar added.
He also acknowledged the difference in bowling resources, pointing out that Gill lacked a pace attack of Bumrah, Shami, and Ishant Sharma at their peak. Even with Ravindra Jadeja, Manjrekar believed India should’ve begun with a standard attacking field rather than anticipating unconventional shots like reverse sweeps.
“You want to start with attacking intent—even if only for a few overs—before going defensive. That said, I don’t want to be overly critical of Shubman. He’s a new captain, and we should be understanding of that,” Manjrekar concluded.
Ben Duckett takes advantage of India’s toothless attack
Anchored by a brilliant 188-run opening stand between Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, England showcased a more mature and balanced version of their trademark “Bazball” philosophy, mixing aggression with calculated discipline. Resuming on 21-0 under gloomy skies and needing 350 more, the duo calmly weathered India’s attack to reach lunch unscathed at 117-0. Their partnership became the fifth-highest opening stand in a fourth innings in Test history and marked the first time since Cook and Strauss that an England opening pair crossed 2,000 runs together.
Though India fought back after lunch with quick strikes from Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur, and Ravindra Jadeja removed Ben Stokes with 69 runs still needed, England stayed composed. Joe Root (53*) and debutant Jamie Smith (44*) guided them home, with Smith sealing the match in spectacular fashion with a six over long-on.
This win marked England’s 12th successful chase in 18 Tests under coach Brendon McCullum, reinforcing a shift from raw aggression to refined execution. In a match where all four innings crossed 350—a rarity in Test cricket—England’s poise under pressure delivered one of their most memorable fourth-innings performances.