Ashwin Slams Shubman Gill for Poor Tactics at The Oval, Questions Use of Spinners. Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has taken a dig at Indian captain Shubman Gill and team mentor Gautam Gambhir for their tactical missteps during the fifth Test against England at The Oval. Ashwin criticized Shubman Gill for failing to make proper use of spinners on Day 4, suggesting a lack of situational awareness cost India a golden opportunity.
India had set a formidable target of 374 for England and appeared to be in control. But the momentum shifted dramatically as Harry Brook and Joe Root launched a counterattack. The duo stitched together a massive 195-run stand for the fourth wicket, propelling England from 106/3 to 301/4.
Both Brook (111) and Root (105) notched up centuries, putting England within touching distance of a remarkable win. Although they eventually fell with 35 runs still required, the damage had been done — and Ashwin believes India’s failure to deploy their spinners more strategically played a crucial role in the collapse.
“There Was a Lack of Game Awareness” – Ravichandran Ashwin Criticizes Tactics in The Oval Test
Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has voiced his concerns over the team’s tactical decisions during the ongoing Test series against England. Speaking on his YouTube channel “Ash ki Baat,” Ashwin highlighted what he believes was a lack of game awareness from both Shubman Gill and mentor Gautam Gambhir, particularly in terms of spinner usage.
Ashwin pointed out that Shubman Gill missed key moments to bring spinners into the attack—mistakes that may have cost India dearly.
“Throughout this series, I’ve sensed a lack of game awareness and tactical sharpness—on and off the field,” Ashwin remarked. “That’s one of the main reasons England are ahead and India are trailing. We simply haven’t been sharp enough.”
Despite his criticism, Ashwin expressed confidence in Shubman Gill potential as a captain but warned against over-reliance on personal strengths.
“Shubman Gill will grow into a better captain with time. But when a batter is good at playing spin, they sometimes underestimate the value of spinners. If you miss the right moment to bring them on, they end up being used defensively instead of as a strategic weapon.”
Ashwin specifically called out the decision not to introduce spinners towards the end of Day 4, when England’s Harry Brook began to accelerate. He believes that Washington Sundar should have been used earlier to put pressure on both Brook and Joe Root.
“Once Harry Brook got going, scoring 20 or so, that was the moment to bring in a spinner to cut the run flow. From the other end, a pacer could have continued. But Sundar should have been given the ball earlier,” Ashwin explained.
He also questioned the communication between the dressing room and the field, hinting at a possible disconnect.
“Mistakes like these create a big gap. We don’t know if the right messages are being relayed to the field. In today’s day and age, with so much data and support staff, these tactical errors are avoidable,” he added.
Interestingly, spinners were barely used in the second innings at The Oval. Both Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja bowled only four overs each. In the first innings, Jadeja bowled just two overs while Sundar didn’t get to bowl at all.
As the Test stands, England reached 339/6 by the end of Day 4, still needing 35 runs to win with four wickets remaining. Earlier, India managed 224 in their first innings, with Karun Nair scoring a valuable half-century. England then posted 247, gaining a slim lead. A second-innings century from Yashasvi Jaiswal helped India set a challenging target of 374 for the hosts.
