NEW DELHI: Shubman Gill is riding high on emotion and pride after leading India to their first-ever Test victory at Edgbaston, calling it one of the “happiest memories” of his life. The 25-year-old skipper, who had a tough start to his captaincy campaign with a loss in Leeds, staged a brilliant comeback with a series-levelling win in Birmingham — a venue where India had never won a Test before.
“This is something I will cherish for the rest of my life,” Gill said in a post-match video shared by the BCCI. “Whenever I retire, this will definitely be one of my most memorable moments.”
Gill, who took the final catch of the match, described the victory as a complete team performance. “Everyone stepped up — with bat, ball, and in the field. That’s what you want in a champion side,” he said in the dressing room speech, where he praised the collective effort over the past six to eight months.
“Winning a Test in England is always special, but doing it here at Edgbaston where we had never won before, makes it even more significant,” he added, applauding his team’s unity and determination.
Pacer Mohammed Siraj, who claimed 6/99 in the match, described the win as the third-best of his career — behind Gabba and Lord’s. He praised Akash Deep, who took his maiden five-wicket haul, saying he always believed it was destined for the young bowler.
“Jaisa maine pehle innings mein bola tha, agar uski kismat mein hai, toh panja milega (Like I said in the first innings, if a five-wicket haul is in his fate, he’ll get it). And he did,” said an elated Siraj.
Akash Deep, reflecting on his own contribution, said, “Taking five wickets is special, but contributing to a win is what truly makes it proud. Had we drawn the game, I wouldn’t be as happy.”
India vice-captain Rishabh Pant highlighted the emotional significance of the victory at Edgbaston. “The last time we came here, the job was left unfinished. This time, we got it done,” he said, referring to India’s defeat at the same venue in 2022. He emphasised the team’s goal of rewriting history and setting new standards for Indian cricket abroad.
Despite the emphatic 336-run victory, Gill didn’t hold back in criticising the flat pitches and ineffective Dukes balls being used in the series. He said the conditions are heavily skewed in favour of batsmen and diminish the competitive edge of Test cricket.
“It’s very difficult for bowlers,” Gill said in the post-match press conference. “The Dukes ball is going soft too quickly — sometimes in just 15–20 overs — and there’s hardly any assistance from the pitch after that.”
He added that under such conditions, teams are forced to play defensively after the first few overs, taking away the true essence of Test cricket. “There should be something for the bowlers. If the ball is moving or doing something off the pitch, you can plan strategies. Otherwise, you just focus on stopping runs the whole day.”
Interestingly, Gill himself has benefitted the most from the batting-friendly conditions, currently topping the run charts with 585 runs at an average of 146.25. He even jokingly compared the English pitches to Indian ones, saying, “Yes, they feel like home conditions. Feels good to finally get batting tracks in England for once (laughs).”
Looking ahead to the next Test at Lord’s, starting July 10, Gill expects England to prepare a more challenging pitch. “I don’t think they’ll give another flat wicket. But whatever it is, we’ll assess it and go in with the best combination,” he said.
With the momentum firmly with India after the Edgbaston triumph, Gill and his team now aim to carry forward the winning spirit into the remainder of the series. The message is clear — this is a team that not only wants to rewrite history but also redefine its future.
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