“He led better than Ben Stokes” - Former India cricketer’s stunning claim on Shubman Gill after ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has lauded Shubman Gill on his captaincy debut despite England successfully chasing 371 to win the opening Test by five wickets in Leeds. The cricketer-turned-commentator reckoned that Gill led better than his counterpart Ben Stokes while commending him for using Jasprit Bumrah wisely in the contest.

Kaif further called Gill a "helpless captain" with scathing remarks against Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Shardul Thakur, claiming the tourists were playing with only 1.5 bowlers.

On Wednesday, June 25, Mohammad Kaif said on his YouTube channel:

“6:45 – As a young captain, Gill did brilliantly by giving Bumrah 4-4 overs and rotating him well. He led better than Ben Stokes. Well done, thumbs up.”

“00:40 – Helpless captain because he was playing with one and a half bowlers. One is Bumrah, and the remaining half is Jadeja. There was no support from Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, or Shardul. You can’t win the Test match with 1.5 bowlers. He did captaincy very well and looked good to me. He used his resources well,” he added.

Apart from Jasprit Bumrah's fifer in the first innings, Prasidh Krishna bagged five wickets across two innings but conceded over six runs an over. Meanwhile, Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur scalped two wickets apiece. Ravindra Jadeja, the lone spinner, managed a solitary scalp.

“It was important” – Mohammad Kaif lauds Shubman Gill’s maiden Test century in England

Mohammad Kaif also lauded Shubman Gill for his Test century on his captaincy debut. The 44-year-old credited the 25-year-old for replying to the critics in style. He said in the same interaction:

“00:00 - I will praise him a lot because it was a big Test for him in this series. It was important for him to score in England. Everyone said he doesn’t know how to play in England, [you] made him captain, but hasn’t scored runs. But he passed the Test with the bat, scored a century, excellent batting. Apart from captaincy, he showed he can deliver with the bat.”

Shubman Gill scored 147 runs off 227 balls with the help of one maximum and 19 boundaries in the first innings. The Punjab batter previously managed 88 runs in three Tests in England.