Shubman Gill appears to be batting in a realm entirely his own. Following up his century in the first innings of his debut series as India’s Test captain at Leeds, the prodigious 25-year-old raised the bar even higher by crafting a sublime double century in the second Test at Edgbaston. Reaching the landmark in 311 deliveries, Gill’s innings sparkled with 21 crisp boundaries and two towering sixes.
Gill etched his name in history as the first Asian captain to score a double century in a Test match on English soil. The previous best was 193 by Sri Lanka`s Tillakaratne Dilshan at Lord`s in 2011. By amassing this mammoth score, Gill also established a new benchmark for the highest Test innings by an Indian captain in England, eclipsing the previous best of 179 set by Mohammad Azharuddin at Lord’s in 1990.
The young skipper also surpassed Virat Kohli’s mark for the highest Test score by an Indian captain away from home. Kohli’s unbeaten 200 against the West Indies at North Sound in 2016 had stood as the gold standard for nearly a decade until Gill’s masterclass at Edgbaston.
This double century carries even more weight given its rarity among Indian leaders. Only five other captains from India have previously registered double tons in Test cricket: the illustrious list includes MAK Pataudi, Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Kohli, and MS Dhoni. By joining these legends, Gill has not only cemented his place among India’s finest batting captains but has done so with a youthful swagger all his own.
En route his double ton, Gill smashed 21 fours and two sixes and became the third Indian batter to score a double ton in Old Blighty after legendary pair of Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid.
Remarkably, Gill also became the second-youngest Indian captain to notch a Test double century, following in the footsteps of the Nawab of Pataudi, who achieved the feat at an even younger age.
More to follow…
