India’s narrow 22-run loss at Lord’s has opened up criticism from several quarters, with former England captain Michael Vaughan singling out Shubman Gill’s attitude as a key concern. Despite being in sublime form throughout the series, Gill’s approach in the crucial fourth innings didn’t sit well with Vaughan, who believes the young skipper lacked his usual poise and focus.
Gill’s Numbers Shine, But His Nerves Showed at Lord’s
Gill has been one of the standout batters in the series, racking up over 600 runs in just six innings — including a record-breaking 430-run effort at Edgbaston. However, at Lord’s, when India needed their captain to anchor the chase, he managed only 16 and 6.
In his column, Vaughan noted that Gill didn’t appear as “technically tight or calm” in the second innings. Just a day earlier, the 25-year-old had been fired up, getting into a heated exchange with Zak Crawley. But come crunch time, that fire seemed to turn into nerves.
“When things got spicy on the third evening, it brought the best out of England,” Vaughan wrote. “Gill didn’t look like himself when he came out to bat the next day. Credit to India — they fought hard till the end, but the composure from their leader wasn’t quite there.”
Stokes Sets the Standard in High-Stakes Situations
While Gill struggled, Vaughan was quick to hold up Ben Stokes as the gold standard for leadership under pressure. He praised the England captain’s never-back-down mentality, saying Stokes has the rare ability to turn games on sheer determination alone.
“England have never had a captain like Ben Stokes,” Vaughan remarked. “He doesn’t accept defeat. Even when his team is having a rough week, he finds a way to turn the tide with skill and willpower.”
Stokes played a pivotal role in the Lord’s Test — grabbing five wickets, scoring 77 runs, and pulling off the game-changing run-out of Rishabh Pant in the first innings. Vaughan described it as the moment that flipped the match in England’s favor.
Master of the Big Moments
Whether it was his partnership with Joe Root to steady the innings on Day 1, the incredible run-out before lunch on Day 3, or his relentless spell on the final morning, Stokes was everywhere. He eventually broke Jasprit Bumrah’s gritty resistance to seal the match.
“Stokes just knows how to win the big moments,” Vaughan wrote. “He turned up when it mattered most — again.”
India in Trouble Heading to Manchester
With the series now tilted 2-1 in England’s favor, the pressure is firmly on India heading into the fourth Test in Manchester. Gill and his team will have to regroup fast, both mentally and technically, if they hope to stay alive in the series.
Meanwhile, buoyed by their captain’s fearless mindset, England will look to seal the series and continue their momentum.
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