Shubman Gill’s Captaincy Tested at Lord’s: Manjrekar Questions His Composure Under Pressure

Being the captain of the Indian Test team inevitably brings intense scrutiny, and for 25-year-old Shubman Gill, that spotlight has only grown brighter since his elevation to the role. While his batting has flourished under leadership pressure, his captaincy remains a work in progress — and questions are beginning to surface about what kind of leader Gill is shaping up to be.

Is he the calm, composed figure reminiscent of MS Dhoni? Or does he lean more toward Virat Kohli’s fiery, combative approach? Perhaps somewhere in between, like Rohit Sharma — laid-back yet steely? So far, Gill appears to channel Dhoni’s composure, but the events on Day 3 at Lord’s revealed flashes of intensity, suggesting there’s more fire in him than initially perceived.

However, that fire was harder to manage when the tables turned. On Day 4, as England gave back what Gill had dished out, his response lacked the same assurance. Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar believes this is where Gill showed signs of vulnerability — especially in contrast to Kohli, who famously thrives under confrontation.

“The thing with Virat Kohli was that he would get even more fired up and become a better batter [if things got nasty],” Manjrekar said on ESPNcricinfo’s Match Day. “What disappointed me with Shubman Gill — and that’s why I was wondering where he is heading — is that the pressure didn’t bring the best out of him as a batter.”

According to Manjrekar, Gill appeared “tentative” during his brief second-innings stay, struggling under the weight of both the situation and the opposition’s sledging. He also claimed that stump mics caught “personal attacks” directed at the Indian skipper.

“This might be new for Gill. Today’s Indian players often get a more respectful welcome overseas. But this was different. And he wasn’t up for it,” Manjrekar added.

Gill entered the Lord’s Test on a high, with nearly 600 runs this series, including two centuries and a record-breaking 269. But the second innings presented tougher conditions — a newer, harder ball and a charged-up England side. Gill’s dismissal — lbw to Brydon Carse after a nervy start and a DRS reprieve — proved costly in India’s chase of 193.

Despite a valiant rearguard from Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj, India fell short by 22 runs, giving England a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

Manjrekar noted the sharp contrast in Gill’s batting: “Going through Shubman Gill’s defence has been hard work. He’s hardly missed a ball all series. But suddenly, in about nine deliveries, he missed four. There’s no doubt in my mind that it was all connected.”

As India eyes a comeback in the remaining Tests, Gill faces not just the challenge of scoring runs, but of defining his identity as captain — one that can weather storms both on and off the field.