“Helpless Captain”: Shubman Gill’s Captaincy Decoded After India’s First Test Loss to England

Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif lauds Gill’s leadership and century at Leeds, calling him a “helpless captain” due to poor bowling support beyond Bumrah and Jadeja.

Leeds | June 26, 2025:
India’s new Test skipper Shubman Gill may have suffered a 5-wicket defeat in his captaincy debut against England at Headingley, but his leadership and batting drew high praise — especially from former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif.

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Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif hailed the 25-year-old as a “helpless captain” who managed his resources admirably in challenging conditions.

“Gill rotated Bumrah well, giving him four-over spells. His captaincy was better than Ben Stokes’. But what can you do with just one and a half bowlers?” Kaif said.

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🏏 Bowling Breakdown: Lone Warrior Bumrah

• Jasprit Bumrah starred with 5/83 in England’s first innings on a batting-friendly pitch.
• Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna shared five wickets but were expensive, leaking runs at economies of 4.50 and 6.40, respectively.
• Shardul Thakur failed to make an impact, and Ravindra Jadeja was only partially effective.

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“Bumrah was the only complete bowler. Jadeja was the half. You can’t win Tests with just 1.5 bowlers,” Kaif observed, suggesting Gill had limited support from his bowling attack.

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💯 Redemption with the Bat

Under immense pressure after being handed the Test captaincy post Rohit Sharma’s retirement in May, Gill answered critics in style with a majestic 147 in the first innings.

“People said Gill can’t score in England. That he was made captain too early. But he passed the test — not just as a captain, but as a top-order batter,” Kaif said, applauding Gill’s grit and composure.

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🧩 What Went Wrong for India

Despite a strong showing from the top-5 batters, India’s lower middle order faltered, squandering momentum and allowing England to take control late in the match. The result was a five-wicket loss, putting the visitors 0-1 down in the five-Test series.

ALso Read: From Bench to Breakthrough: Who Is Bhupinder Singh?

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🧠 Captaincy Beyond the Scorecard

While results often define leadership, cricket experts have emphasized that Gill’s strategic acumen, calm demeanor, and batting brilliance show promise for India’s future in red-ball cricket.

With four Tests to go, Shubman Gill’s mettle as a captain and batsman will continue to be tested — but if Leeds is any indicator, India might just have found a leader worth investing in.

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Shubman Gill captaincy, India vs England 1st Test, Mohammad Kaif on Gill, India Test series 2025, Jasprit Bumrah 5 wickets, Prasidh Krishna economy rate, Shubman Gill century, Rohit Sharma retirement