Indian key Shubman Gill After losing his first two one-day internationals (ODIS), he entered the unopened list of Indian captains.
Shubman Gill’s Odi captaincy made his debut off to a rocky start
Having suffered back-to-back defeats against Australia in the ongoing bilateral series, Gill became the sixth Indian captain to start Odi’s lead with back-to-back losses. The list includes notable names like Dilip Vengsarkar and KL Rahul, both of whom faced similar challenges in their captaincy careers.
Taking India’s Odi Rins from Rohit Sharma, Gill faced a tough test from the start. India suffered a seven-wicket defeat in Perth, marking their first defeat at the Adelaide Oval in 17 years, followed by a two-wicket loss in Adelaide.
Despite India fighting in Adelaide
In the second ODI, India are struggling at just 264/9 with Gill contributing modestly after scoring just 9 in the opening match. But the total proved insufficient Matt Short and Cooper closed Australia’s chase Quiet and effective, throw them overboard.
Gill’s captaincy debut drew attention not because of the defeats but also because of India’s costly missed opportunities on the field. Injuries including three dropped catches, including three dropped wickets – one from the dangerous mat – allowed Australia to remain in control throughout the chase.
Reflecting on the loss, Gill acknowledged the team’s shortcomings, saying: “It’s never easy when you throw away a few chances and you’re trying to defend a total like that. We were 15-20 short and we couldn’t capitalize.”
Banned list: Indian captains who lost their first two Odis
Shubman Gill now finds himself in rare company among Indian cricketers who have faced early struggles in the Odi captaincy. The list includes:
- Ajit Wadekar
- Dilip Vengsarkar
- Chris Srikanth
- Muhammad Azharuddin
- Kl rahul
The previous five have endured defeat twice before at the start of their Captaincy careers. Gill is now the sixth Indian leader to experience this tough venture – even as some of India’s biggest names have recalled stumbling before finding their footing.
Gill’s batting record is still promising despite his early captaincy woes
Despite these early setbacks as captain, nothing happened except for Gill’s batting form. The young opener has already scored more than 1,500 international runs this year, including several centuries in formats. He also led success during a brief stint earlier in the year, earning praise for his calm demeanor and tactical maturity earlier this year.
Gill’s immediate focus will now be around Foundation, which is India’s foundation in a series of ODIs where a win is a series whitewash and boosts his confidence as a leader.
See also: Mitchell Starc takes a jaw-dropping boundary to dismiss Axar Patel in the Adelaide ODI
The pressure and promise of the Indian captain
In Indian cricket, captaincy always comes in tight fashion and anticipation. History shows that early failures do not define a leader’s legacy – Ajit Wadekar, Mohammad Azharuddin and others have forged successful captaincy careers despite poor beginnings.
For Gill, these early challenges can serve as a good value curve. Combined with youth and experience, and with an already impressive record as a batsman, Punjab-Lad will have to rethink and refine his strategies to cement his place as the next long-term leader of Indian cricket.
As the three-match series heads towards its finale, fans and pundits will be watching the next game in Sydney to see what Gill can script not only for India but also for his own leadership journey.
Read: AUS vs Ind – fans celebrate Virat Kohli’s first consecutive ducks for the first time in Odi’s career
