Shubman Gill looked very proactive as captain, says Ajinkya Rahane after Galle Test

India emerged victorious by 165 runs in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle, with Shubman Gill continuing his role as Test captain. The match began on Saturday, August 15, and showcased Gill's leadership in a challenging away series. Gill took over the captaincy reins in Test cricket from Rohit Sharma last year and has already demonstrated his capabilities in international cricket.

Ajinkya Rahane, the former India skipper, offered his assessment of Gill's performance in the match. Rahane highlighted the quality of Gill's decision-making throughout the contest, particularly in the areas that define modern captaincy. The Galle Test marked India's 600th Test overall, adding historical significance to the match.

"What we saw of Shubman Gill as a captain in England and here, he led extremely well. He looked very proactive. The bowling changes were excellent. The field placements were excellent," Rahane said during a discussion on Sony Sports.

Rahane emphasised that captaincy is a continuous learning process where leaders improve with every match they lead. He acknowledged that decisions in the field cannot always be judged as right or wrong in the moment, but rather become clear through their outcomes. The former skipper was particularly impressed by how Gill managed his bowling resources and adjusted his field setup during the Galle Test.

"A captain learns something from every game and keeps improving. It's never right or wrong. When you take a decision, it will either be right or wrong, but I felt the proactiveness in the bowling changes in this game was very good," Rahane said.

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Gill had already demonstrated his captaincy credentials in his first away series in England as captain before this Sri Lanka assignment. The Test series forms part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle, making these matches crucial for India's standing in the competition. Gill's proactive approach to captaincy has earned recognition from experienced former leaders like Rahane. With this win, India earned 12 crucial WTC points.