India captain Shubman Gill admitted in a light-hearted manner that his poor luck with the coin toss has been on his mind ahead of the crucial final Test against England at The Oval. Although India managed to secure a hard-fought draw in the fourth Test at Old Trafford to stay in the series, Gill has not won a single toss so far.
He has opted for ‘Heads’ in all four matches, but England skipper Ben Stokes has consistently come out on top. Losing the toss in the fourth Test proved costly for India, who were forced to bat first under challenging overcast skies. Despite an early setback and a big first-innings deficit, India fought back to draw the match and keep the series at 2-1 ahead of the decider.
Team India have the opportunity to level the series 2-2 with a victory in the final Test at The Oval, and winning the toss could play an important role in achieving that. Shubman Gill’s run of bad luck at the toss was mentioned during the post-match presentation.
“That (Coin toss) is the thing I am thinking about the most,” the Indian skipper told Mel Jones after the 4th Test at Old Trafford.
Shubman Gill Explains Why India Initially Refused Stokes’ Draw Offer
A simple draw was taken off the table as tensions rose in the closing moments of the match. The atmosphere shifted when Ben Stokes suggested ending the game early with a handshake to protect his teammates. However, with Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar nearing their centuries, they turned down the offer, aiming to reach their personal milestones first.
This led to a verbal spat, as Stokes and the England team grew irritated by the extended play. Shubman Gill later stated that the two all-rounders had earned the right to go for their hundreds and that the decision to continue was theirs.
“Definitely up to the boys in the middle, both deserved the centuries and they got it. Lot of things, every match going up until the last day of the last session, each match teaches you something different. So far, as a group, we have learnt a lot. Hopefully we can win next the next game and draw the series,” the Indian skipper said.
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