Gill’s historic England wins mirror Kohli’s toss-losing triumphs. Deets inside

During the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar trophy, Shubman Gill led India to a historic series draw (2-2). India pulled off a thriller at The Oval, defeating the hosts by six runs. It was a series to remember for Gill, as he scored 754 runs, along with a career-best figure of 269 runs. Gill is now the second most successful Indian Test skipper on English soil with two wins in five Tests. He is only behind former Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who has three wins for India.

But there is a similarity between Kohli and Gill's win on English soil, and that might be the success mantra for Team India as well.

Since 1932, India have played 72 Tests in England, where they won 11, lost 38 and drawn 23. In those 11 wins, India lost the toss on seven occasions but went on to win the game. However, one interesting thing about Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill's triumph in England is their toss results. Both Kohli and Gill lost the tosses in which they won a Test in England.

In 2018, during Virat Kohli’s first tour to England as captain, India suffered a 1-4 series defeat. But there was one thing to smile for the visitors: the win at Nottingham. Kohli was named Player of the Match for scoring 103 in the second innings, his second Test hundred in England. The victory was more remarkable as, despite losing the toss, they won the game. London was sweeter to Kohli in 2021, when Kohli won both at Lord's and The Oval Test even after losing the toss.

Seven years later, a young Indian side under Shubman Gill scripted history in England. The visitors breached Birmingham’s fortress, defeating England by 336 runs. Gill was the hero for India, smashing a career‑best 269 in the first innings and following it up with 161 in the second. It was Gill’s maiden Test win as captain, and notably, he had lost the toss in that match. The pattern repeated at The Oval, where India crushed England by just six runs, and once again, Gill’s team had lost the toss and won the match.

London seems to have played an emotional role in both captains’ stories. Kohli enjoyed two famous wins in the city of London: Lord's and The Oval, while Gill's experience was a mix of heartbreak and glory.