Shubman Gill’s century at Edgbaston on Day 1 of the second Test against England wasn’t just about the runs he scored or the way he stabilised the Indian innings after two early dismissals in the first session. As he reached his century mark, it was about rage and a roaring release of emotion that immediately drew comparisons to Virat Kohli’s unforgettable celebration at the same venue in 2018.
Having walked into the Test series with questions around his form and leadership, Gill had something to prove. On a surface offering bounce and movement, and after an early dismissal of KL Rahul, the 24-year-old dug deep. But it was the moment after he reached three figures, not the boundary that brought him there, that grabbed the headlines.
Gill swept Joe Root behind square to move to 102. As the ball raced to the boundary, he ripped off his helmet, raised his bat to the crowd, and let out an unfiltered scream: a cathartic roar that echoed through Edgbaston. He followed it with a powerful “Come on!” and kissed his bat, a gesture Kohli did, too, and then bowed to the stands.
The parallels with Kohli’s celebration from 2018 were immediate and uncanny. Seven years ago, the former India captain silenced English critics with a masterful 149 at this very ground, exorcising the demons of a forgettable 2014 tour. His primal scream after reaching the milestone that year remains one of his most iconic moments in whites. Gill’s gesture carried a similar weight.
Gill’s second ton of the series
It was Gill’s second century of the series, and perhaps the more emotional of the two. After his 147 in Leeds came under the shadow of India’s defeat, this knock, still unfinished at 114*, felt like a statement both as a batter and as captain. He had weathered the pressure, built partnerships, and batted with calculated aggression.
While comparisons with Kohli are inevitable, Gill’s celebration made one thing clear: the youngster is well and truly on the road to crafting his own legacy.
At stumps, India sat comfortably at 310/5, with Gill holding fort alongside Ravindra Jadeja. Earlier in the day, Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had also scored a century in the first Test, missed his second by just 13 runs. Karun Nair was promoted to No.3 after batting at 6 in the previous Test, but was done in by a ball that bounced too sharply, departing for 31 off 50 deliveries.
