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Nasser Hussain noted KL Rahul took over leadership from Shubman Gill during Day 5 of the Headingley Test, setting fields and guiding the team.
Shubman Gill speaks to teammate KL Rahul before the start of play on day five of the first Test between England and India at Headingley in Leeds (Picture credit: AP)
Former England captain Nasser Hussain on Tuesday pointed out that KL Rahul took over leadership from skipper Shubman Gill for a while, explaining how he was doing all the field settings during the second session of Day 5 of the Headingley Test, with England clearly in the driver’s seat.
Notably, before the day’s play began, Rahul was seen doing the talking in the huddle, and not Gill. Rahul has led India in three Tests before.
As play started after a rain break in the second session, Rahul took over Gill’s leadership duties and began marshalling the troops.
Prasidh Krishna, bowling from the end which is reserved for ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah, pitched one up against his nature and found some movement and the outside edge of a well-settled Zak Crawley’s bat as well.
India have dropped some catches in this Test, but Rahul wasn’t letting this chance to break a huge opening stand go begging.
India’s hopes of a comeback in the game got another boost when Prasidh, in the next over, got one to jag back in from a good length and found the gap between Ollie Pope’s bat and pad.
“If you look at the field now and ask who is captaining, it will be KL Rahul. He has done all the hand signals, all the field settings. The change is evident,” Hussain said while commentating.
Rahul has more leadership experience at the highest level than both Gill and Pant, and that showed soon enough.
“I reached out to Shubman the minute the team was announced and when he was announced (as) the captain. (I told him) You will always find me around, any help, any guidance, if you need someone to share something with or talk to, I’m always there,” Rahul had said ahead of the series.
Meanwhile, Indian bowlers’ efforts to gain the upper hand were thwarted by Ben Duckett’s doughty unbeaten half-century as England cruised to 117/0 at lunch on the final day of the first Test in Headingley.
Chasing a tough 371 for a win against India, England were served by Duckett (64) and Crawley (42) at the break, with the hosts still 254 runs adrift of the target.
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