The bad luck with the coin toss for India’s Test cricket captain, Shubman Gill, showed no signs of stopping in the first Test of the series against South Africa at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. For the seventh time in eight tosses, Gill lost the coin toss as South African skipper Temba Bavuma won and chose to bat first on what appeared to be a batting-friendly Day 1 surface.
Despite the streak of bad luck, Gill seems to be taking it in good stride, seeing the lighter side of the situation. He has now lost all five tosses during India’s tour of England, one of the two tosses against the West Indies at home, and this latest loss in Kolkata. Laughing at his statistical misfortune, Gill joked about his hopes for a change of fortune when India plays in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final.
Shubman Gill’s Toss Woes: A Comedic Streak
“I think the only toss that I’m going to win is hopefully in the WTC finals,” said Gill, acknowledging the absurdity of his coin-toss streak. While his toss record has been far from ideal, he maintains a lighthearted attitude, focusing on the positives.
The Indian skipper’s humor comes at a time when his team’s focus is on the bigger picture — winning the series. Despite the toss losses, Gill is adamant that the dressing room atmosphere remains strong, and the team’s determination to perform remains unaffected by the luck of the toss.
The Team’s Hunger for Success
“We’re as hungry as ever,” Gill remarked about the Indian team’s spirit. “These two test matches for us are very crucial, and we’re always determined to perform every time we come out.”
The skipper emphasized the confidence in the team and the belief that, even without winning the toss, India can extract success. “Looks like a good surface. It’s going to be a good surface for the first day or a couple of days. And then, hopefully, we’ll get some turn as the game goes on.”
On the team selection front, India made some changes to the lineup, with Rishabh Pant coming back in place of Reddy. Axar Patel, the spin-bowling all-rounder, has also been included in the playing XI, while Washington Sundar will bat at number three.
Despite a few tweaks in the squad, Gill is motivated by the fact that, despite the toss losses, he has never lost a Test series as India’s captain. As the series against South Africa progresses, Gill will be hoping to continue his unblemished record in the longest format of the game.
