 "India captain Shubman Gill celebrates after completing his double-century on Day 2 of the second Test against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham. AP")
Shubman Gill slammed a second century in as many Tests in what is turning out to be a dream tour of England for the newly-appointed India captain in the five-day format. And after his superb 147 at Headingley went in vain with India failing to defend a target of 371 on the final day, Gill produced the best knock of his career so far across the first two days at Edgbaston, almost as if he’s determined to deliver an innings in a winning cause.
By the time he was dismissed off Josh Tongue’s bowling shortly after tea on Day 2, Gill received a standing ovation from the crowd at the home of the Warwickshire County Cricket Club, besides being congratulated by members of the opposition. He had, after all, amassed 269 runs off 387 deliveries , collecting 30 fours and three sixes during his marathon knock that spanned more than eight hours and helped India post a mammoth 587 on the board .
Gill’s 269 at Edgbaston shatters multiple records
A knock of that magnitude is bound to break some records, especially for a young captain in an overseas Test series, in a country where India have not won a Test series in nearly two decades. And after an enthralling second day’s play at Edgbaston , we take a look at the significance of Gill’s knock in terms of numbers:
– Gill broke Virat Kohli’s record for the highest Test score by an Indian captain, surpassing the latter’s unbeaten 254 against South Africa in Pune in 2019. Gill and Kohli, incidentally, are also the only two Indians to score a Test double-hundred as captain outside India.
– Gill’s 269 also happens to be the third-highest Test score by an Indian batter away from home after Virender Sehwag’s 309 in Multan and Rahul Dravid’s 270 in Rawalpindi – both of them in the 2004-25 tour of Pakistan.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts– Gill’s 269 is also the highest score by an Indian in Tests outside Asia, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s 241 against Australia in Sydney in 2004. Overall, it is the seventh-highest Test score by an Indian.
– The 25-year-old became the second youngest Indian to score a Test double-hundred as captain after Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, who had achieved the feat at the age of 23 against New Zealand in 1964. Overall, Gill is the sixth Indian to score a Test double hundred as captain.
– Having also smashed 208 in an ODI against New Zealand in 2023, Gill became only the fourth cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma and Chris Gayle to score a double century in Tests as well as ODIs.