Gill's Leadership Sparks India's Test Triumph Over England

Birmingham: After being dominated by England for the first 20 days of the tour, a young and determined Indian team, led by Shubman Gill, has emphatically turned the tables. The narrative, previously dictated by England's aggressive "Bazball" approach, has been rewritten at Edgbaston.

India's captain Shubman Gill gestures to his teammates during play on day two of the second cricket test match between England and India at Edgbaston in Birmingham, England, Thursday, July 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)

England's players, throughout media briefings, boldly declared their readiness to chase down any target set by India, repeatedly stating, "We don’t play draws." This strategy, at times, bordered on arrogance and continued until the final day at Edgbaston, even as India seized control.

India, in contrast, maintained their focus on countering England's aggression. Now, with a Test win under his belt, Shubman Gill is challenging England to stick with "Bazball" as they head into the Lord's Test.

Gill subtly questioned whether England would prepare a similar batting-friendly pitch at Lord’s. This shift in tone reflects the change in momentum between the two camps.

England captain Ben Stokes acknowledged that the Edgbaston pitch didn't play to his team's advantage. He admitted that the longer the game went on, the more it favored India.

Gill, at just 25, has displayed remarkable poise and restraint as India’s Test captain. He understood the need to prove himself worthy of the role, especially considering his own Test batting record.

On Sunday, Gill embraced his natural, bold, and carefree attitude, a trait that defines India’s new generation of cricketers. He exudes confidence and appears firmly in command.

"Where is my favorite journalist? I actually wanted to see him today," Gill joked, recalling questions about India's Edgbaston record. "I had said this is the best Indian team to have come to England. And I stand by that," he asserted with a grin.

Following the Headingley defeat, questions arose about whether India missed the presence of Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma. However, Gill's leadership and clarity in the second Test should silence those doubts.

Gill's team also seems to be adapting to the demands of Test cricket. The recent matches mark a rare occasion where they played all sessions of a Test match, a departure from the shorter Tests they are accustomed to at home.

"It definitely helped us in a massive way. When we play in India, not many Tests last five days. If we are able to score runs consistently in the upcoming games and post around totals of 400 or 300 regularly, we will always be in the game," he explained.

When asked about his growth as a captain, Gill quipped, "Most of the days when we are playing here, we are batting and not fielding much." He added that while the innings felt long due to England's aggressive play, the actual time spent fielding wasn't excessive.

Conversely, Stokes conceded that his team lacked the resilience to bat out 80 overs to save the Test. He also lamented that his bowlers, often bailed out by the batters' aggressive chases, couldn't restrict India to a manageable score. Stokes said that the task was batting out the 80 overs. The result that they always try to push towards was beyond them.

India needed to respond decisively after the setback in the first Test. Led by Shubman Gill, the team has successfully flexed their muscles, at least for now.