Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has strongly criticized Indian skipper Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir for their recurring tactical errors during the ongoing England Test series. Despite Gill’s personal success with the bat—becoming the second-highest run-getter by an Indian in a single Test series and notching the most hundreds by an Indian captain in an overseas tour—Ashwin believes his lack of game awareness as a captain has been costly.

Ashwin, speaking on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat,’ also questioned Gambhir's credentials in red-ball cricket, stating that the coach’s strategic efficiency has come under serious doubt during this high-stakes series. The veteran spinner felt that India’s overall tactical sharpness has been below par throughout the tour, and it has allowed England to capitalize, especially in key moments like the 195-run partnership between Joe Root and Harry Brook.

“Coming back to the topic of spinners not being used, I have felt in this series that there has been a lack of game awareness and, in many ways, our tactical acumen both on and off the field. This is the main reason why England is ahead in this series and India is behind. We haven't been the sharpest,” said Ashwin, pointing out that poor field decisions have allowed England to dominate despite India’s individual brilliance.

Ashwin points to missed opportunities but still backs Gill’s growth

Ashwin specifically mentioned that a better use of spinners during crucial stages could have choked England’s scoring rate and opened up more opportunities for breakthroughs. Referring to Harry Brook’s aggressive batting, he said, “When Harry Brook started taking it on, after 20 runs, you could have brought on the spinner to choke the run flows. From the other end, a pacer could have bowled. With all this in mind, Washington Sundar could have been brought earlier into the attack.”

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While Ashwin was critical, he also acknowledged Gill’s potential to grow as a leader. “I feel Shubman Gill will get really better as the captain. He will learn. But sometimes if you feel that you can play spin really well, you will not bring spinners into the attack, and when you miss the moment to bring the spinners in these conditions, then the spinner becomes a really defensive option.” Meanwhile, bowling coach Morne Morkel admitted that India made tactical mistakes and would reflect on them post-series, including the decision to leave out Kuldeep Yadav for batting depth on certain surfaces.