His bat muted and his heated on-field arguments offering a spark for England to cash in on at Lord’s, India captain Shubman Gill will face a real challenge to his identity as skipper in the forthcoming Old Trafford Test, feels former India head coach Greg Chappell.
Chappell noted that a lack of identity or resolve over what must be done meant that India’s precipitous collapse in a 193-run chase could not be salvaged by a stoic Ravindra Jadeja and the 84 balls of resistance offered by Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah. Chappell put it all down to the lack of input from the young skipper Gill, who has yet to establish the identity of the direction the Indian Test should walk in under him.
“The truth is, Jadeja was the only recognised batter left. If India were to chase down the target, he had to take calculated risks. His job wasn’t to leave balls and collect singles – it was to win the match. That clarity should have come from the dressing room, from the captain. He needed to be told directly: “You are the man who has to get this done. The tail’s job is to hang in there with you, but you must go for the win,” Chappell wrote on his ESPNcricinfo column.
“And this is where Gill’s leadership challenge becomes very real. He must start setting those expectations – clearly, proactively, and consistently.
“Gill must define what sort of team he wants India to be. The captain sets the tone – not just with words, but with actions, clarity of purpose, and visible standards. That means demanding discipline in the field. India cannot afford to slip back into being a poor fielding side. The best teams are superb in the field. They don’t give easy runs. They don’t drop chances,” Chappell remarked.
‘Great captains are great communicators’
Chappell added that Gill must learn to accept that a skipper will not always answer with the bat alone. “Great captains are great communicators. Gill must become one – and quickly. Whether it’s at training, in the middle or in the dressing room during a break – clear, calm communication is essential. His bat can’t always do the talking. He must learn to speak in a way that aligns the group, encourages belief, and creates trust.”
The former Australia skipper also added that while Gill’s animated on-field self, like the one during his altercation with England opener Zak Crawley on the third day of the Lord’s Test was fine viewing, it must only come on the back of confident preparation.
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“The Old Trafford Test is shaping to be the biggest examination yet for Gill – not just as a batter, but as a leader. He’s learning on the job, but the timeline is not generous. He must bring composure, clarity, and confidence to a side that desperately needs it. And he must do it now.
“That doesn’t mean he can’t show emotion. In fact, his passion on the field at Lord’s was good to see. But actions like getting into Zak Crawley’s face over time-wasting only matter if they are backed up by the hard work done behind the scenes. A captain earns the right to be loud when he’s already done the quiet work of planning, uniting, and inspiring his group,” iterated Chappell.
