Shubman Gill’s inaugural Test as India’s captain concluded in a heartbreaking five-wicket defeat against England in Leeds. The 25-year-old right-handed batter, making his Test captaincy debut on June 20, scored a magnificent 147 runs in the first innings.
However, even this impressive knock couldn’t prevent India from succumbing to England’s chase of 371 runs in the fourth innings. Thanks to Ben Duckett’s commanding 149-run performance, the hosts successfully achieved their target with five wickets in hand after 82 overs.
This loss in the series opener places Gill in an unwanted historical club, as he joins Dilip Vengsarkar and Virat Kohli as only the third Indian captain to score a century in his debut Test and still face defeat. Vengsarkar, in his Test captaincy debut against the West Indies in November 1987 at Arun Jaitley Stadium, scored 102 in the second innings, but his century was ultimately in vain as India lost by five wickets.
Similarly, Virat Kohli’s Test captaincy debut against Australia at Adelaide Oval in December 2014 saw him score centuries in both innings (115 and 141), yet India still suffered a 48-run defeat.
Adding to the historical significance of this loss, four Indian batters—Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul—collectively scored five individual centuries in the Leeds Test. Despite this extraordinary batting display, India was unable to secure a victory.
Hard Luck!
