Shubman Gill‘s seventh Test hundred, his second in two games of this series and as captain, was the kind of innings that may not pass the Bazball eye test. But in context, it was a necessary act of assertion, to show the way that there’s no one ‘natural style’ of playing. It took Shubman Gill 125 balls to even get to 50 with just five boundaries hit in that passage.
The 100 came off the 199th ball, making it Shubman Gill’ slowest ton in the format. But it was also, statistically, his second-best hundred in terms of control percentages. In fact, as per Cricviz, no batter has ever recorded a lower false shot percentage than Gill’s 4% in a Test hundred in England since tracking data has been available.
Shubman Gill is a modern batter, adept at all three formats. It isn’t easy to contain bowling one side to him but at no point did he lose his focus despite England’s attempts to unsettle him. It was a lesson he learnt previously in Vizag last year, the only other hundred of his with greater control.
There he faced a similar web with Stokes getting his spinners to bowl round the stumps to him with six fielders on the leg. Shubman Gill forced a release by playing a reverse sweep and fell for 103. It was a dismissal that brought England back into the contest in the third innings and provoked a lot of conversation and soul searching in Shubman Gill.
Here, straight after the landmark he hunkered down once more as the second new ball brought with it its own challenges late in the evening. But Shubman Gill and Jadeja, firm in their shapes and light on their feet, closed out the final phase. By stumps, India were 310 for 5 – not dominant, but resilient.
Records galored for Shubman Gill enroute his well crafted 114*
Indian captain Shubman Gill has made history by becoming only the second Indian skipper to score centuries in both the first and second Tests of a series in England. His unbeaten 114 on Day 1 at Edgbaston followed his earlier score of 147 at Headingley. This makes him the ninth visiting captain overall, and the second Indian after Mohammad Azharuddin (1990), to achieve this feat.
Shubman Gill’s achievements as captain have come at a rapid pace. He is only the fourth Indian skipper to score centuries in his first two Tests as captain, after Virat Kohli, Vijay Hazare, and Sunil Gavaskar. He also became just the second Indian captain to score a century at Edgbaston, joining Kohli. Ravindra Jadeja, Sachin Tendulkar, and Rishabh Pant are the only other Indian centurions at this venue (Tests).
Shubman Gill has also become the third India captain to score hundreds in successive Tests against England, after Hazare (1951-52) and Azharuddin (1990). Meanwhile, this was Shubman Gill’s 7th century in Test cricket. He also owns as many fifties.
As per ESPNcricinfo,Shubman Gill now owns 4 Test tons against England (50s: 3). Overall, Gill has over 2,140 runs in Tests at 38-plus average. Notably, 900-plus of his runs have come in away matches (home of opposition).
Shubman Gill came to bat at 95/2 and absorbed the pressure, stitching a 66-run stand with Yashasvi Jaiswal (87) and an unbeaten 99-run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja (41*). His innings wasn’t just about personal milestones but also about steering India through a mid-innings wobble. His efforts meant the visitors finished Day 1 at 310/5.
With his century still in progress, Gill now carries not only the hopes of India’s batting.
This resolve and solid defying innings where he was chanceless all through the innings earned high praises from Former Indian coach Ravi Shastri.
Ravi Shastri showers praises on skipper Shubman Gill’s resolute 114*
Shubman Gill continued to stamp his authority as India’s new captain with another commanding century, steering his side through a tense opening day at Edgbaston. His unbeaten 114, a second hundred in as many matches as skipper, was a statement in leadership under pressure, with Shubman Gill facing significant criticism in terms of team selection and captaincy.
With Yashasvi Jaiswal blazing away for 87 at the other end, Shubman Gill remained the anchoring force, outlasting England’s bursts of aggression and holding the innings together through a testing evening spell. At just 25, and weeks into a role he inherited after Rohit Sharma’s Test retirement, Shubman Gill is already showcasing the temperament of a long-term leader.
Shubman Gill stated before the start of the series that he didn’t want to let the pressure of captaincy dictate the way he bats, and it showed in both his centuries so far.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who had worked with Shubman Gill during the latter’s initial days in international cricket, also touched upon the improvement in the batter’s technique. Shastri drew a comparison between Gill and Kohli to highlight how the current Indian skipper has worked particularly on his defence.
“I think the biggest difference is that he has worked on his defence. When he last came to England, he was like Virat, played with hard hands and pushed at the ball. Now, the top hand is in much more control,” Shastri told Sky Sports Cricket.
“He allows the ball to come and hit the bat. He’s trusting his defence. We know he has all the shots in the book. He’s a lovely driver of the ball, and can pull as well. But just that little work on defence has done him a world of good.”
Shubman Gill, who witnessed his maiden Test century as captain go in vain at Headingley despite five Indian hundreds, understands the fragility of scoreboard dominance. India’s twin collapses in the first Test still linger in memory, and it’s precisely this awareness that lent weight to his 99-run unbroken stand with Ravindra Jadeja after a mid-innings wobble.
The Indian skipper Shubman Gill would be aiming to keep his head composed and steer the innings along when he returns to bat on Day 2 of the Edgbaston Test. India lost the opening match by five wickets.
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