[WATCH] ‘I had lines ready…’- Ravi Shastri on Shubman Gill’s five toss losses during ENG vs IND 2025 series

Days changed, venues changed, atmosphere changed, playing conditions and line-up kept varying along with the score-line of the five-match Test series between England and India. But the visiting captain Shubman Gill’s fortune with the toss was stuck at one place, as he lost his fifth and all tosses of the series at the Kennington Oval in South London.

That was the 15th instance of India losing the toss across the three formats in international cricket. The only other instance of a captain losing all the tosses in a Test series during the 21st century was when Virat Kohli led them during the 2018 trip in England. Ravi Shastri, the toss presenter for the fifth game, made a hilarious comment on the incident.

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‘Just a thought on the toss again, you know, I had a line ready. Whoever wins or loses, whoever wins the toss, I had a line ready that the Law of Averages has to catch up. Shubman Gill, in four Test matches, had lost all four. Ollie Pope, in four Test matches, had lost all four but won three Test matches. That’s where Gill came from and said, We hope to win the Test match even if I lose the toss.’ He revealed.

Watch: Ravi Shastri comments on Shubman Gill losing five tosses during ENG vs IND 2025 series

‘Don't mind losing the toss as long as we win the game. I was a bit confused yesterday about what to do. It was a bit overcast, but the wicket looks good. We'll look to post good runs in the first innings. Should be a good pitch for the bowlers.’ Gill, India’s captain, expressed at the toss during the fixture.

He didn’t enjoy a great day either in the field after getting run out. He looked in fluent touch before getting another share of the unfortunate luck. The right-handed batter tapped Gus Atkinson under his eyes and rushed for the single, only to get slipped in the middle and saw the bowler breaking the stumps to send him back for the first time with a score of more than 20 and less than 100 in the series.

India ended with 204/6 as Karun Nair celebrated his unbeaten fine-half-century as they aim to cross the 275-run mark in the first innings.