Prasidh Krishna Lauds Shubman Gill’s Leadership After Debut Test Century as Captain

Despite India’s five-wicket defeat in the opening Test against England at Headingley, pacer Prasidh Krishna expressed strong support for Shubman Gill’s captaincy, praising the young skipper’s tactical awareness and the positive environment he fostered in the dressing room.

Addressing the media after the match, Krishna noted that Gill’s approach impressed the entire team. “I think he did a pretty good job. He rotated bowlers smartly, ensured players had enough recovery time, and made timely bowling changes. He set a very good atmosphere around. He’s been speaking to all of us, and the communication has been clear,” said Krishna, highlighting the clarity and planning under Gill’s leadership.

Gill, who was leading the Indian Test side for the first time, marked the occasion with a composed century, becoming the 23rd player to score a hundred on captaincy debut in Tests. He reached his milestone in 140 balls, featuring 14 boundaries, joining an elite list of Indian cricketers — Sunil Gavaskar, Virat Kohli, Vijay Hazare, and Dilip Vengsarkar — to have achieved this feat.

At just 25 years old, Gill also became the fourth youngest player globally to score a century in his first Test as captain, behind Herbie Taylor, Alastair Cook, and Steven Smith. It was his sixth Test century and came alongside another fine hundred from Yashasvi Jaiswal, who struck 101 before being dismissed by England captain Ben Stokes.

The Leeds Test also saw Gill reach 2,000 career Test runs, a milestone he shares with Virat Kohli, who also achieved the feat in his first match as captain. Gill completed the landmark in 60 innings.

Reflecting on India’s defeat, Krishna acknowledged the disappointment but underlined the team’s determination. “The dressing room is still motivated. We knew what this opportunity meant. Even when things were quiet, we stuck to our plans and took wickets in clusters. We believed until the last run was scored and made England work for every one of them,” he said.

India will look to bounce back in the second Test, scheduled to begin on July 2 in Birmingham, as the five-match series and the new cycle of the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 continue.