New Delhi: India’s young captain Shubman Gill delivered a masterclass in Test batting, hammering a magnificent 269 off 387 balls in the ongoing second Test against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham. The 24-year-old’s sensational knock, laced with 30 boundaries and 3 sixes, not only helped India post a commanding first-innings total of 587, but also etched his name into the history books with a string of record-breaking feats.
Gill’s dominant performance comes on the back of an already impressive 147-run innings in the first Test at Headingley. With two centuries in two Tests, including a towering double hundred, Gill has firmly stamped his authority in the five-match series and silenced doubts surrounding his Test credentials.
Speaking to Dinesh Karthik on Sky Sports after stumps on Day 2, Gill attributed his success to some focused preparation following the IPL 2025 season.
“I worked on a few things before the series as well. At the end of the IPL, I started working on areas I felt would be crucial going into the Tests. Looking at the results, it feels good to see those things paying off,” Gill said.
The modest but confident response highlights Gill’s growing maturity — both as a player and a leader.
Gill’s breathtaking 269-run knock wasn’t just a personal triumph — it also saw him break multiple records:
• First Asian captain to score a double century in a Test in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia).
• Surpassed Virat Kohli’s record for the highest score by an Indian Test captain.
• Became only the second player in Test history, after Sunil Gavaskar, to score a century in his first Test as captain and a double century in his second.
• Joined elite company as just the third non-English captain to score 250+ runs in a Test in England, after Bob Simpson (Australia) and Graeme Smith (South Africa).
While Gill’s batting drew widespread applause, not everyone in the cricketing world was pleased with the match tempo. A former England player, whose identity remains undisclosed, reportedly slammed the frequent breaks taken by the Indian team, stating:
“My mates didn’t pay £85 to watch players sip water and look at the grass.”
Despite such criticism, the Indian captain’s bat did all the talking on the field.
With this knock, Shubman Gill is not only leading India on the scorecard but also redefining Test match leadership, setting new standards for performance under pressure in overseas conditions. His leadership on English soil — historically a challenging hunting ground for Indian batters — could mark the beginning of a new era in Indian Test cricket.
As India looks to continue their dominance in the remaining matches of the series, Gill’s red-hot form is likely to remain the centerpiece of their campaign.
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