India’s Test captain Shubman Gill left the cricketing world awestruck with a commanding double century on Day 2 of the second Test against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Resuming on his overnight score of 114, the 25-year-old carried on withdazzling strokeplay to finish with a stunning 269 off 387 balls, which also marks his first double hundred in Tests. Facing the English bowling attack, Gill made the most of the flat surface, compiling a knock that combined patience and precision. He brought up the milestone with a single off Josh Tongue, celebrating with passion as the Edgbaston crowd rose in admiration. Gill’s epic innings etched his name in the record books. He became only the third Indian to score a Test double hundred in England, joining legends Rahul Dravid (217 at The Oval, 2002) and Sunil Gavaskar (221 at The Oval, 1979). More notably, he is now the first Indian captain to score a Test double century in England, surpassing Mohammad Azharuddin’s 179 at Old Trafford in 1990. His 269 also became the highest individual score by an Indian in England, overtaking Gavaskar’s long-standing mark. Reactions poured in from across the cricket fraternity. Mentor and former teammate Yuvraj Singh hailed Gill’s clarity and intent. He wrote, “Take a bow @ShubmanGill! Making it look so easy on the big stage… unstoppable when the intent is clear.” Sachin Tendulkar praised both Gill and Ravindra Jadeja for their commitment, while R Ashwin called it a “fabulous start to his leadership stint.”
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Irfan Pathan noted the ‘determination’ in Gill’s eyes and the blend of charm and defence in his shot selection. Suresh Raina called it “leadership at its finest.”
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As India end their innings at 587 all out from 151 overs, it was a captain’s knock that will be remembered for years to come.
