India Faces Historic Defeat in Test Match Against England Under Gambhir's Leadership

India's Struggles in Test Cricket Continue

Leeds [UK], June 25: India's challenging journey under head coach Gautam Gambhir in Test cricket reached a new low following a staggering five-wicket loss to England in the first match of the series at Headingley.

Shubman Gill faced the harsh realities of Test cricket as he began his tenure as India's captain with a disappointing defeat. England's aggressive 'Bazball' strategy proved effective in a thrilling Test that concluded after five days of determination and resilience from both teams.

Chasing a daunting target of 371 runs, England's Ben Duckett scored a blistering 149, while Joe Root contributed an unbeaten 53, leading England to their second-highest successful chase in Test history.

Despite Gambhir's success in transforming India into a formidable T20I team and securing the Champions Trophy, his impact in the longer format has yet to be felt.

Since the start of the home series against New Zealand last October, India has suffered seven losses in their last nine Test matches. This dismal streak includes a home whitewash by New Zealand, a 3-1 defeat in Australia, and now this latest five-wicket loss to England.

During this troubling period, India did achieve a remarkable 295-run victory over Australia in Perth, but they were fortunate to escape with a draw in Brisbane due to rain.

In addition to Gambhir's struggles, vice-captain Rishabh Pant has also faced a winless streak in away Tests where he scored centuries. His last successful century came in 2018 against England, but India lost that match. Subsequent centuries in Australia and South Africa also ended in defeats or draws.

In this recent five-wicket loss, India made history by becoming the first team to lose a Test match despite having five players score centuries. Yashasvi Jaiswal (101), Shubman Gill (147), KL Rahul (137), and Rishabh Pant (134 and 118) all contributed significantly, yet India finished with a total of 835 runs, marking the fourth-highest score for a losing team in Test history.