When it comes to field placements, former Indian cricketer Ajay Jadeja feels captain Shubman Gill favors pacers over spinners. Jadeja's comments were made after India, despite being in a favorable position, settled for a draw in the second Test match against Sri Lanka in Colombo.
With just a 16-run lead in the second innings going into Day 5, India had Sri Lanka reeling at 229/6. However, the hosts finished on 429/9d, and the Indian spin-bowling trio of Saransh Jain, Manav Suthar, and Ravindra Jadeja was unable to make an impression on a final-day wicket.
Sonal Dinusha, after scoring 103 in the first innings of the Colombo Test, made a patient 133* in the second innings to keep India from sweeping the Test series 2-0.
"Every captain leads based on how he thinks about the game. One clear thing with Gill is he likes having a deep square leg for his pacers, and he loves short-pitched bowling. That's something you don't see as often with others. So that's one bias he has where he uses the seamers with short balls and not just with line and length under pressure.
So, he likes to attack with the seamers. Whereas with the spinners, it's the other way around. Maybe because he bats the spinners so comfortably, he feels spinners can't get you out here and there. So invariably, whatever the situation of the game is, one step lower is the field he sets as an attack for the spinners. It's a standard you set for yourself with defensive fields for the spinners,” Ajay Jadeja said on Sony Sports about Gill’s captaincy.
Shubman Gill was made India captain after Rohit Sharma retired in May 2025.
Shubman Gill will develop as a captain, according to Ajay Jadeja, particularly in the usage of spinners. Shortly after taking over the Test team last year, the 26-year-old was also named India's ODI captain.
Under Gill, India has performed well in their two away Test series, winning the most recent series in Sri Lanka 1-0 and drawing 2-2 in England.
"He just loves attacking with short balls for the pacers, and that's his style, and he will evolve. But at this level, it's the bowler who decides the fields, and the captain agrees or disagrees, which is his choice. But it is the bowler who decides, and the captain gets the credit and the blame," said Jadeja.
Still in the race for qualification for the WTC 2027 final, India will now have to win all their remaining Tests. India will now face New Zealand in two Tests in an away series and then host Australia at home for five Tests.
