India’s Test captain Shubman Gill continues to struggle with tosses in the England series, losing yet another one in the fifth Test at The Oval on July 31. England chose to bowl first, marking Gill’s fifth straight toss loss of the series. Remarkably, this extends the record to 15 consecutive toss defeats for an Indian men’s captain in international cricket.

This unfortunate streak also places India among the rare teams to lose all five tosses in a five-match Test series. It’s the 14th time this has happened in cricket history. With India trailing 1-2 in the series, the final match becomes a must-win to secure a draw. To boost their chances, India made four changes, bringing in Dhruv Jurel, Karun Nair, Akash Deep, and Prasidh Krishna.

Gill, despite the toss setbacks, will be determined to end the series on a high. His name now joins an exclusive list—he’s the fourth Indian captain to lose all tosses in a five-Test series. With senior players like Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah missing, the young skipper will look to inspire his team with leadership and performance in this crucial encounter.

4. Lala Amarnath

During the 1948/49 West Indies tour of India, captain Lala Amarnath lost all five tosses, with West Indies skipper John Goddard winning each one. The series began with three consecutive draws in Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata. The fourth Test in Chennai saw a dominant West Indies win by an innings and 193 runs, while the final Test in Mumbai was drawn.

India eventually lost the series 0-1, having failed to win a single match despite home conditions. Lala Amarnath, who captained India in 15 Tests overall, managed just two wins, with six losses and seven draws. His unfortunate toss streak in that series mirrored a challenging phase for Indian cricket during its early Test years.

3 Kapil Dev

In the 1982/83 tour of the West Indies, Kapil Dev endured a tough phase as India’s captain, losing all five tosses in the Test series. Clive Lloyd, leading the hosts, won every toss. West Indies claimed victories in the first Test at Sabina Park and the fourth at Barbados, while the remaining matches ended in draws.

India ultimately lost the series 0-2, with Kapil Dev struggling both with toss luck and results. Despite being a legendary all-rounder, his Test captaincy record wasn’t remarkable, leading India in 34 matches, he managed only four wins, with seven defeats and 22 draws during his tenure.

See Also: Why is Jasprit Bumrah not playing today in ENG vs IND 5th Test at The Oval?

2 Virat Kohli

Former India captain Virat Kohli also features on the list of skippers who lost all five tosses in a Test series. During India’s 2018 tour of England, Kohli failed to win a single toss. England won the first two Tests at Birmingham and Lord’s, while India bounced back with a big win in the third Test at Nottingham.

However, England sealed the series 4-1 by winning the final two Tests at Southampton and The Oval. Despite the toss misfortune, Kohli remains India’s most successful Test captain, leading the side in 68 matches with 40 wins, 17 losses, and 11 draws, achieving a commendable win percentage of 58.82.

1 Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill has now joined the list of captains who lost all five tosses in a Test series. In his debut series as India’s Test skipper, he failed to win a single toss. England took the first Test at Leeds, but India bounced back with a dominant 336-run win in the second Test at Birmingham to level the series.

England regained the lead with a narrow 22-run win in the third Test at Lord’s, while the fourth Test in Manchester ended in a draw. With the series at 2-1, the final Test becomes decisive. England aim to clinch the series, while Shubman Gill’s team will push hard for a win to level the contest and end on a high.