"Prince" of Indian cricket, Shubman Gill, finds himself in a tough spot as his return to domestic cricket replicated the struggles of his recent international captaincy.

Following India’s historic 1-2 ODI series loss to New Zealand on home soil, the first such disaster in over 30 years, Gill’s attempt to find rhythm in the Ranji Trophy is off to an unfortunate start.

A Twin Failure Against Saurashtra

Representing Punjab in the Round 6 fixture against Saurashtra, Shubman Gill’s return to red-ball domestic cricket turned into a nightmare. In the first innings, the Indian captain was dismissed for a two-ball duck, falling to the disciplined lines of Parth Bhut of Saurashtra.

The second innings offered little redemption. As Punjab grappled with a mounting deficit, Gill appeared composed at first, but eventually sent back to the pavilion for just 14 runs off 32 deliveries.

These twin failures have raised alarms regarding his current form and technical composure, especially as he was dismissed similarly in both innings, failing to negotiate the movement on a pitch that demanded more than just international reputation.

Captaincy Woes and International Hangover

This domestic slump comes on the heels of a demoralizing period for the 26-year-old as India’s ODI skipper.

In his leadership, India surrendered a home series to New Zealand earlier this week, with the decider in Indore seeing the Men in Blue fall short by 41 runs. While Gill did manage half-centuries in the opening matches, his inability to bat longer and convert starts became a recurring theme, one that seems to have followed him into the Ranji Trophy.

The pressure is mounting not just on his bat, but on his role as a leader.

Former Indian cricketer Manoj Tiwary recently voiced a growing sentiment among critics, suggesting that BCCI should "course correct" by reinstating Rohit Sharma as captain ahead of the 2027 World Cup, citing Gill's lack of results in recent assignments in Australia and at home.

Former Indian cricketer Manoj Tiwary recently voiced a growing sentiment among critics, suggesting that BCCI should "course correct" by reinstating Rohit Sharma as captain ahead of the 2027 World Cup, citing Gill's lack of results in recent assignments in Australia and at home.