Former cricketer slams Gill’s captaincy in fourth Test against England

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri on Friday delivered a sharp critique of India captain Shubman Gill’s tactical decisions during the ongoing Test series against England, questioning key choices that he believes undermined team strategy and player confidence.

Speaking to British media, Shastri expressed strong disapproval of Gill’s decision to delay introducing Washington Sundar into the attack despite his impressive four-wicket haul in the previous Test at Lord’s.

“He took four wickets in the last game. Then you bring that bloke after 67, 69 overs. I mean, what does it tell that player? Here, I've taken four. 

"I should be like a front-runner, bowling within the first 30, 35 overs. And you're getting me on after 69. And then he takes the first two wickets,” Shastri said.

The former coach argued that such a move sends a damaging signal to Sundar, potentially affecting his confidence.

Shastri also highlighted other tactical missteps, including not giving Mohammed Siraj the new ball ahead of debutant Kamboj and failing to deploy the bouncer strategy in time.

“Tactically, I thought they were found wanting. Siraj should have taken the new ball yesterday instead of giving it to Kamboj, who's new and playing his first Test match. That let the pressure off England. 

"Then the bouncer tactic, which they were 24 hours late on. That should have been tried yesterday to make further inroads. So tactically, a lot was missing,” he added.

Despite the criticism, Shastri backed Gill to improve as a captain with experience, drawing comparisons with Virat Kohli’s early days as skipper.

“I'll cite an example of Virat when he took over. He was the other way, as far as Shubman goes. He was extra, ultra-aggressive. Sometimes you've got to respect the conditions and set fields accordingly. 

"That’s why team management becomes crucial in helping someone like Shubman Gill over the first year and a half. I think that is the key,” Shastri concluded.