Shubman Gill is thoroughly embracing his role as India’s Test captain, marking his leadership with a remarkable feat of back-to-back centuries. Since taking the reins from Rohit Sharma, Gill has continued his prolific scoring. On the opening day of the second Test against England at Edgbaston, the young captain delivered a crucial century, preventing an Indian collapse under pressure. This outstanding performance marks his seventh Test century overall.
This century has propelled Gill into an exclusive group of visiting captains who have scored consecutive centuries in their first two Tests of a series played in England. He now stands alongside legends such as Don Bradman, Garfield Sobers, and Graeme Smith, among others, solidifying his place in cricket history.
When Shubman Gill arrived at the crease, India was at 95/2. Displaying impressive maturity, the 25-year-old anchored the innings, forming vital partnerships with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja. He first combined with Jaiswal for a 66-run third-wicket stand, followed by a 47-run partnership with wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant for the fourth wicket. India faced a moment of instability in the final session, losing Pant and Nitish Reddy for just three runs. However, Gill, joined by Jadeja, skillfully navigated the rest of the day, building an unbroken 99-run sixth-wicket partnership that guided India to a strong total of 310/5.
This Edgbaston century follows his debut hundred as Test captain last month in Leeds, where he scored 147 in India’s first innings. With these two consecutive tons, Gill has also become only the fourth Indian player to score centuries in his first two Tests as captain, joining the esteemed company of Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar and Virat Kohli.
