Shubman Gill got some harsh treatment from a section of the Edgbaston crowd when he was receiving treatment on his back in the final session of Day 1 of the second Test match against England. The Indian captain, playing a patient knock under a lot of pressure, felt discomfort on his back and asked the umpires when the next break in play was so that he could receive some treatment. A couple of overs later, the pain got a bit too much and he asked for the physios to come in. It happened at the end of the 76th over.
The Indian physio vigorously pressed down on Gill’s lower back. This area had given him trouble even at Headingley. After a couple of minutes, the physio started to work on Gill’s left leg. It was stretched and pressed, and even Gill’s batting partner, Ravindra Jadeja, decided to chat with substitute fielders.
As Shubman Gill’s treatment went on for four to five minutes, the Edgbaston crowd got restless. They started booing Gill, egging him to get on with the proceedings. Soon after, Gill got up and took guard to resume his innings.
The boong had no bearings on Gill’s batting. Three overs later, he hit back-to-back boundaries off Joe Root to bring up his seventh Test century. He became the fourth Indian after Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar, Mohammed Azharuddin and Virat Kohli to hit centuries in his first two matches as the Test captain.
The mood in Edgbaston changed very quickly as soon as Gill got to his century. There was no signs of boos. In fact, thunderous applause and loud cheers greeted the Indian captain’s superlative knock. The applause was led by Bharat Army, who went berserk.
Shubman Gill stands tall against England
Gill remained unbeaten on 114 on the opening day of the second Test. Under pressure after controversial team selections—including resting pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah—Gill responded with calm authority, anchoring India’s innings as they reached 310-5 at stumps. On a day when wickets fell at crucial intervals, Gill remained composed, soaking up pressure and building partnerships, most notably a 99-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja.
His century, his second in England, was his slowest, coming off 199 balls. Yet, its significance outweighed its pace. Against a disciplined England attack and amid overcast morning conditions, Gill showed maturity and tactical acumen, mixing solid defence with selective aggression. He wore down the bowlers before opening up late in the day, particularly targeting Joe Root with two sweeps to bring up his hundred.
Gill’s leadership extended beyond the scoreboard. His ability to absorb pressure, especially when India were wobbling at 211-5, helped stabilise the innings and regain momentum. With Jadeja steady at the other end, Gill’s century set the tone for a potential big total, keeping India firmly in the contest as they sought their first-ever Test win at Edgbaston.
