Is 'aura' what Shubman Gill lacks as India’s captain? Nasser Hussain makes a peculiar observation

The opening Test at Headingley and the result after five days of intense contest have brought brutal feedback for the visitors. India, under its new captain, made an exceptional start to the first India vs England Test in Leeds. The opening innings witnessed three Indian batters, including the young skipper, score centuries to defy the skepticism around this new group. However, as the match progressed, the shortcomings of this team gradually came undone. Fielding lapses across the Test's run, a tail-end that never showed up, and a bowling attack that left its leader alone cost the visitors the match. Now, Nasser Hussain has presented his two cents on this team, judging by the outing in Leeds.

Shubman Gill's captaincy under scrutiny after his team loses opening India vs England Test

The first India vs England Test marked the first time India hit five centuries in a Test match ever. Gill's century in the first innings made him only the fifth Indian to smash a ton in his debut fixture as a captain. Rishabh Pant hit twin centuries, becoming only the second wicketkeeper-batter after Andy Flower to do so in Test cricket. Jasprit Bumrah came up as the best Asian bowler in SENA conditions with his 5-wicket haul in Leeds. Yashasvi Jaiswal, with his debut ton in England, became the first Indian opener to score a century in Leeds. After all these record-breaking performances, India lost the match to the hosts.

The top order showed up. Jasprit Bumrah, as anticipated, performed at his best. However, the Indian team didn't show up collectively. The lower order of the batting lineup failed consistently in both innings. Beyond Bumrah, the bowling attack remained toothless, unable to put any pressure on Bazball. Meanwhile, the most disappointing aspect of their performance in Leeds was the fielding cordon. India dropped eight catches, Yashasvi Jaiswal alone dropping four. Lax attitude on the field, Pant juggling some behind the stumps, it all added up to significant runs, which eventually cost them the match.

As Shubman Gill opened his Test captaincy career with a 5-wicket defeat in the India vs England match, comparisons followed. Former English skipper Nasser Hussain talked about the leadership of the young Gill in the match. Hussain quipped that Gill, in his view, lacked the "aura" showcased by India's earlier captains, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The seasoned ace also highlighted that Gill's captaincy was 'reactive' instead of being 'proactive' on the field.

"I saw someone finding his way. He (Gill) didn't quite have that on-field aura of Rohit and Kohli. I thought he followed the ball a lot and was reactive rather than proactive," Hussain said. "When Rohit and Kohli captained, you looked down and you immediately knew who was in charge, but when I looked down in this game, I saw two or three captains, captaincy by committee," he added.