Shubman Gill’s captaincy came under fire after he delayed bringing Washington Sundar into the attack during England’s first innings in the fourth Test at Manchester. Despite England reaching 306 for 2 with Joe Root and Ollie Pope well set, Sundar — one of India’s two spinners — was not given the ball until the 68th over. This decision puzzled many, especially since Sundar had taken 4 wickets for just 22 runs in the previous match at Lord’s.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri criticised Gill for not trusting his own players, particularly spinners like Sundar and Jadeja. On commentary, Shastri pointed out that if two spinners are picked, the captain must back them. Even though Sundar bowled just four overs before lunch, he showed promise, troubling Pope with drift, suggesting his introduction came too late to make a real impact.
India’s bowling unit, including Jasprit Bumrah, struggled to maintain pressure. Bumrah was inconsistent, often bowling on the pads, which allowed Pope and Root to score freely. Debutant Anshul Kamboj created a chance, but wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel couldn’t grab a tough edge. Overall, India’s lack of trust in spin and inconsistent pace bowling allowed England to seize control of the match.
