Shubman Gill cemented his status among Indian batting legends with an almost impeccable, record-setting double century, granting his team total dominance in the second Test against England in Birmingham on Thursday.
Gill’s impressive 269 from 387 deliveries in his first series as Test captain enabled India to amass a massive total of 587, while the novice Indian pace attack struck early to break down the England top-order, leaving the hosts at 77 for three by the end of day two.
Playing his first game of the series, Akash Deep took two wickets in consecutive deliveries to conclude a flawless day for his team, after which Mohammed Siraj enhanced it further by having Zak Crawley caught at first slip.
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Massive Records broken by Gill
- Shubman Gill’s score in the second Test at Edgbaston against England is the highest by an Indian captain in Tests, exceeding Virat Kohli‘s not out 254 against South Africa in Pune in 2019.
- Gill’s 269 is the most by an Indian batsman in Test matches played outside Asia. Sachin Tendulkar’s unbeaten 241 at the SCG in 2004 was the previous record.
- Gill also became the third Indian batsmen to score double hundred in England. Prior to him, only two Indians had achieved double-hundreds in men’s Tests in England – Sunil Gavaskar with 221 in 1979 and Rahul Dravid with 217 in 2002, both at The Oval.
- Gill became the 5th Batsmen who have scored double centuries in both Test matches and One Day Internationals. Gill is added to a list featuring mainly Indians – Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, and Chris Gayle.
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Team India take control in 2nd Test
What enhanced India’s joy was the organized performance from their fast bowlers, particularly on a pitch that provided little support. The fresh ball showed a slight degree of movement, and Akash Deep, back in the playing XI, quickly made his mark.
He received strong support from Mohammed Siraj, who bowled with passion and consistency—recovering nicely after an unfortunate performance in Leeds.
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India’s fast bowlers made an immediate impact, reducing England to 50 for 3 in reply to a massive first-innings score of 587. All chances were seized on the field, with keen fielding supporting the bowlers’ efforts. The comprehensive performance showcased India’s dominance and determination throughout the day.
It will be interesting to see how England will respond to India’s bowling unit on Day 3. It will be another intriguing day of Test Cricket.
