India came into the fourth Test at Old Trafford under pressure. Trailing 2-1 in the five-match series, they needed a strong start to keep the contest alive.
But on Day 1, after a promising partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, skipper Shubman Gill got dismissed cheaply. And this time, the manner of dismissal didn't sit well with fans.
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Gill's decision to shoulder arms to an in-coming delivery from Ben Stokes turned into one of the biggest talking points of the day. The ball angled in from wide of the crease, kept low and struck him on the front pad.
With the ball clearly heading towards the stumps, the umpire raised his finger, yet Gill decided to review. The DRS confirmed what most had already guessed: three reds, out lbw.
Fans fume at Shubman Gill after costly review
The Indian captain scored just 12 off 23 balls, marking his third low score in a row. While his early series scores - 147, 8, 269 and 161 had looked impressive, the last three innings have been underwhelming: 16, 6, and now 12.
Former cricketer Dodda Ganesh summed up the sentiment on social media, posting on X: "Why would you review that? That was plumb as it can get."
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Fans were equally brutal, calling it "one of the worst leaves of all time" and slamming the review as "absolutely brainless."
Shubman Gill followed his own ‘no time-wasting’ policy too literally 😬#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/buPBV5YLGY
— England's Barmy Army 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) July 23, 2025
I don’t think I’ve seen any other batter getting dismissed while leaving the ball as consistently as Shubman Gill in the last 4–5 years. It has become a fashion for him !!#ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/ZOMQ87ezjU
— Kaustubh (@kaustubh_4579) July 23, 2025
Without flat tracks generational talent Shubman Gill is just another Aakash Chopra.
— 𝐉𝐨𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐞 (@jod_insane) July 23, 2025
Can’t even judge the length of the ball properly 😭. pic.twitter.com/4sC41auHn6
Shubman Gill has the best ball leaving skill 🥶🥶 pic.twitter.com/Hv5ymd63PW
— PRIYANSHU 🐐 (@jaiswal_00) July 23, 2025
The dismissal came at a crucial moment: just two overs before the lunch break. With Jaiswal, Rahul, and now Gill gone, India will hope their reshuffled middle order steps up.
Newcomers B Sai Sudharsan and Anshul Kamboj were brought in as part of three changes, replacing Karun Nair, Akash Deep and the injured Nitish Kumar Reddy.