Shubman Gill's captaincy during Day 2 of the fourth Test between England and India at Old Trafford in Manchester has been a subject of much discussion, particularly regarding a tactical decision that raised eyebrows. Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting openly criticized Gill's choice to hand the new ball to debutant Anshul Kamboj. Ponting, commentating on Sky Sports Cricket, expressed his surprise at the move, suggesting that the decision was tactically flawed.

England dominated the second day of the Test match. India was bowled out for 358 after resuming their first innings at 264-4. England then reached stumps at 225-2 after 46 overs, with openers Ben Duckett (94) and Zak Crawley (84) putting on a 166-run partnership in 32 overs.

Ponting stated, "I think they were tactically off as well. Kamboj shouldn't have taken the new ball. I didn't like that from the start". He further elaborated, pointing out that Ben Duckett scored five of his first six boundaries behind square leg, indicating a tactical misjudgment. Ponting also questioned Jasprit Bumrah's bowling end, noting that most wickets had fallen from the Statham end, while Bumrah bowled predominantly from the Anderson end.

Despite Ponting's criticism, Gill's gamble ultimately paid off. Kamboj eventually took his maiden Test wicket by dismissing Duckett. Crawley was caught at slip off Ravindra Jadeja. These breakthroughs showcased Gill's instincts as captain, proving Ponting wrong.

Earlier in the series, Gill faced scrutiny for his on-field behavior during the Lord's Test. Ponting acknowledged that Gill's aggression was "a little out of character" but defended it as a captain standing up for his team. The incident involved a heated exchange with England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett regarding their delaying tactics at the end of the third day.

Sanjay Manjrekar noted a change in Gill's demeanor since the Lord's Test incident, observing a tentativeness in his batting. Manjrekar pointed out that Gill, who had scored three centuries in the first four innings of the series, including scores of 269 and 161 in the second Test at Edgbaston, appeared less confident. Gill was dismissed for just 12 runs in the first innings of the fourth Test.

Despite the criticisms and observations, Ricky Ponting has also shown support for Shubman Gill. Ponting has praised Gill's passion and leadership skills, viewing his actions as a captain wanting to take responsibility for his team.