Shubman Gill Joins Kohli & Bumrah in Rare Test Captaincy Curse – Full List Inside!

Shubman Gill, India’s newly appointed Test captain, started his leadership journey with a splendid century but concluded the first match against England with an undesirable record. In spite of his courageous performance with the bat, India faced a 5-wicket loss at Leeds, making Gill the sixth Indian captain to be defeated in his first Test match.

Throughout history, assuming leadership of the Indian Test team has been a significant event, and many of the country’s finest cricketers have faced initial challenges. Prior to Shubman Gill, five individuals—C.K. Nayudu, M.A.K. Pataudi, Dilip Vengsarkar, Virat Kohli, and Jasprit Bumrah—experienced defeats in their first Test matches as captain. Interestingly, the most recent two debut defeats—Bumrah in 2022 and Shubman Gill in 2025—occurred against England while chasing 350+ targets, marking the only instances when India has lost Tests after posting such elevated totals in the fourth innings.

C.K. Nayudu – 1932 vs England, Lord’s

In India’s first Test at Lord’s, C.K. Nayudu led a determined yet inexperienced Indian squad against a powerful English team. Though Mohammad Nissar showcased early talent with the ball, India suffered a defeat by 158 runs, yet the groundwork for Indian Test cricket was established.

At the age of 21, Pataudi was given the captaincy following Nari Contractor’s unfortunate injury. Against the formidable West Indies, India collapsed, losing by an innings and 30 runs. This match marked the beginning of Pataudi’s significant captaincy journey.

Vengsarkar began aggressively with a century, yet India failed to defend their target. The West Indies’ consistent cricket led to a 5-wicket victory, even with Vengsarkar’s leadership potential.

In a thrilling captaincy debut, Virat Kohli hit two centuries (115 & 141) in Adelaide. India was painfully near yet fell short by 48 runs, paving the way for Kohli’s fearless and dynamic captaincy legacy.

Bumrah almost guided India to victory in the rescheduled fifth Test while replacing Rohit Sharma. Nevertheless, England’s remarkable pursuit of 378, fueled by Bairstow and Root, resulted in a 7-wicket loss for him, regardless of his contributions.

Shubman Gill‘s first performance resembled Kohli’s—an outstanding century showcasing elegance and composure. However, England responded exceptionally, successfully pursuing a target of 351 runs with precise effectiveness. Consequently, Gill included his name in this exclusive yet unfortunate group of Indian captains who began with a defeat.