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Indian opener Shubman Gill has entered an unenviable list of Indian captains after losing his first two One-Day Internationals (ODIs) as skipper.
Shubman Gill’s ODI captaincy debut off to a tough start
With back-to-back defeats against Australia in the ongoing bilateral series, Gill has become the sixth Indian captain to begin his ODI leadership stint with consecutive losses. The list includes notable names such as Dilip Vengsarkar and KL Rahul , both of whom also faced similar challenges early in their captaincy careers.
Gill, who took over India’s ODI reins from Rohit Sharma, faced a stern test from the start. India suffered a seven-wicket defeat in Perth, followed by a two-wicket loss in Adelaide, marking their first defeat at the Adelaide Oval in 17 years.
India falter despite fighting total in Adelaide
In the second ODI, India put up a fighting total of 264/9, with Gill contributing modestly after scoring just 9 runs in the opening match. However, the total proved insufficient as Matt Short and Cooper Connolly anchored Australia’s chase with calm and composure, taking them over the line with overs to spare.
Gill’s captaincy debut has drawn attention not only because of the defeats but also due to the missed opportunities on the field that cost India dearly. Fielding lapses, including three dropped catches – one off the dangerous Matt Short – allowed Australia to stay in control throughout the chase.
Reflecting on the loss, Gill admitted the team’s shortcomings, saying, “It’s never easy when you drop a couple of chances and try to defend that kind of total. We were 15-20 runs short and couldn’t capitalize on key moments.”
Unwanted list: Indian captains who lost first two ODIs
Shubman Gill now finds himself in rare company among Indian skippers who faced early struggles in ODI captaincy. The list includes:
- Ajit Wadekar
- Dilip Vengsarkar
- Kris Srikkanth
- Mohammad Azharuddin
- KL Rahul
All five previously endured double defeats at the start of their ODI captaincy careers. Gill now becomes the sixth Indian leader to experience this tough initiation – a reminder that even some of India’s most iconic names have stumbled early before finding their footing.
Gill’s batting record still promising despite early captaincy woes
Despite these initial setbacks as captain, Gill’s batting form has been nothing short of exceptional. The young opener has already scored over 1,500 international runs this year, including several centuries across formats. He also led India to success during his brief stint as Test captain earlier in the year, earning praise for his calm demeanour and tactical maturity.
Gill’s immediate focus now will be on turning around India’s fortunes in the third and final ODI, where a victory could prevent a series whitewash and boost his confidence as a leader.
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The pressure and promise of Indian captaincy
Captaincy in Indian cricket has always come with intense scrutiny and expectation. History shows that early failures do not define a leader’s legacy – Ajit Wadekar, Mohammad Azharuddin and others eventually built successful captaincy careers despite poor starts.
For Gill, these early challenges may well serve as a valuable learning curve. With youth and experience on his side and an already impressive record as a batter, the 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 toward its finale, fans and experts will be watching the next game in Sydney to see whether Gill can script a comeback – not just for India, but for his own leadership journey.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: crickettimes.com
