Indian opener Shubman Gill He joins an incredible list of Indian captains after losing his first two ODIs as captain.
Shubman Gill’s ODI captaincy had a difficult start
With consecutive defeats against Australia in the ongoing bilateral series, Gill has become the sixth Indian captain to start his ODI leadership with consecutive defeats. The list includes notable names like Dilip Vengsarkar and KL Rahul, both of whom also faced similar challenges early in their captaincy careers.
Gill, who took over the command of India’s ODI team from Rohit Sharma, faced a tough test from the very beginning. India suffered a seven-wicket defeat in Perth, followed by a two-wicket defeat in Adelaide, their first defeat at the Adelaide Oval in 17 years.
India faltered despite a total fight in Adelaide
In the second ODI, India posted a total of 264/9, with Gill making a modest contribution after scoring just 9 runs in the opening match. However, the total proved insufficient. Matt Short and Cooper Connolly helped Australia chase the target With calmness and composure, took them over the line with overs remaining.
Gill’s captaincy debut has attracted attention not only because of the defeats but also because of the missed opportunities on the field, the brunt of which India had to suffer. Fielding lapses, including three dropped catches – one off the dangerous Matt Short – allowed Australia to remain in control throughout the chase.
Reflecting on the defeat, Gill acknowledged the team’s shortcomings, saying, “It’s never easy when you give up some chances and try to defend that kind of total. We were 15-20 runs short and couldn’t take advantage of the key moments.”
Unwanted list: Indian captains who lost the first two ODIs
Shubman Gill is now one of those Indian captains who faced initial struggles in ODI captaincy. The list includes:
- Ajit Wadekar
- Dilip Vengsarkar
- chris srikanth
- Mohammad Azharuddin
- KL Rahul
All five had earlier faced double defeats at the beginning of their ODI captaincy career. Gill has now become the sixth Indian leader to experience this rocky start – a reminder that even some of India’s most prestigious names have stumbled before finding their feet.
Despite initial captaincy troubles, Gill’s batting record is still promising
Despite these early setbacks as captain, Gill’s batting form has been nothing short of exceptional. The young opening batsman has already scored over 1,500 international runs this year, including multiple centuries across all formats. He led India to success during his brief stint as Test captain at the beginning of the year and earned praise for his calm demeanor and tactical maturity.
Gill’s immediate focus will now be on turning around India’s fortunes in the third and final ODI, where a win could prevent a series whitewash and boost his confidence as a leader.
See also: Mitchell Starc takes a stunning catch to dismiss Axar Patel in Adelaide ODI
Pressure and promise of Indian captaincy
Captaincy in Indian cricket has always come with intense scrutiny and expectation. History shows that early failures don’t define a leader’s legacy – Ajit Wadekar, Mohammad Azharuddin and others ultimately went on to have successful captaincy careers despite poor starts.
For Gill, these early challenges can serve as a valuable learning curve. With youth and experience and an already impressive record as a batsman, the Punjab player will have to rethink and improve his strategies to cement his place as the next long-term leader of Indian cricket.
As the three-match series heads towards its conclusion, fans and experts will be keeping an eye on the next game in Sydney to see if Gill can script a comeback – not just for India, but also for his leadership journey.
