![Shubman Gill's captaincy has drawn criticism [Source: AFP Photos]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1768744811144_IanSmithonShubmanGillcaptaincy.jpg?type=hq)
Shubman Gill's captaincy has drawn criticism [Source: AFP Photos]
Former New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Ian Smith didn’t sugarcoat his words while on commentary during IND vs NZ 3rd ODI in Indore. Watching the game swing away from India’s grasp, Smith openly questioned Shubman Gill’s captaincy, calling for more presence and a lot more involvement when the pressure dial was turned up.
India had New Zealand on the mat early. But what followed was a slow bleed of momentum and Smith felt Gill never really grabbed the steering wheel when the match demanded it.
Smith flags Gill’s lack of involvement
India couldn’t have asked for a better start. Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana struck early, pushing New Zealand onto the back foot. For a moment, it looked like the hosts were ready to boss the game. But then they did not apply enough pressure.
Once Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips settled in, India lost their bite. The partnership grew, the runs flowed and the bowlers started searching for answers that never quite came.
As the Mitchell–Phillips stand flourished, Smith noticed something else, Gill drifting out of the thick of things. At one point during the death overs, KL Rahul was seen actively moving fielders and chatting to bowlers, a sight that didn’t sit well with the former New Zealand cricketer.
“I know that Shubman Gill is just learning the art of captaincy. But there's a lot, even now KL Rahul is chatting to Arshdeep down there as if to say, these are jobs that vice captains do,” Smith said on commentary.
For Smith, the captain needed to lead the conversation, not watch it unfold. His sharpest observation came when Gill moved to long-off, a position that took him away from the action just when India needed clarity and control.
“Shubman Gill is now coming down to long off, which basically takes him out of the play. You've got to be part of the action as the captain, particularly when your team is under pressure,” Smith added.
Leading seniors is never easy
To be fair, Smith didn’t ignore the bigger picture. He acknowledged that captaining a side full of leaders is no walk in the park, especially for a young skipper still learning on the job.
“I appreciate this as a young player. This is a hard team to captain because of the people around you within the group who have been former captains, most of them as well,” Smith said.
He then reeled off the names that make India’s dressing room a minefield for any new leader.
“You've got Rahul, you've got Virat Kohli, of course, you've got Rohit Sharma. You've got Shreyas Iyer, you've got senior players around you. And it's not always easy to take charge effectively,” he added.
Mitchell and Phillips turn the tables; India in deep waters
While the captaincy debate brewed, Mitchell and Phillips simply went about their business. The duo smashed scintillating centuries, dragging New Zealand from early trouble to a massive 337/8 in the series decider.
India’s reply never really took off. At 82/4 after 15 overs, the hosts find themselves staring down the barrel. Virat Kohli and Nitish Kumar Reddy are left with a mountain to climb with the required rate climbing fast with each ball.
