On the gripping concluding day of the fourth Test between India and England at Manchester, attention focused on two Indian batsmen—KL Rahul, who tragically missed a century, and Shubman Gill, who achieved a determined hundred to keep India’s hopes alive in the match.
Gill, experiencing a slight dip in his form, struck another century, matching the world record shared by legends such as Don Bradman and Sunil Gavaskar.
India, behind in the series and needing to draw the match to remain in contention, started Day 5 relying on the partnership between Rahul and Gill. However, the initial success arrived for England when Ben Stokes dismissed KL Rahul, who was set for an impressive century. The ball was kept low, slipping beneath Rahul’s bat and hitting his pads. Rahul’s steady and calm innings concluded at 90, putting India in a difficult situation.
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Shubman Gill’s Classy Hundred
Shubman Gill made a remarkable return to slight lapse in form with a superb century in the second innings of the fourth Test against England in Manchester.
The Indian captain stood firm in battle against the Three Lions at Old Trafford. Gill and KL Rahul scored 188 runs for the third wicket after the visitors lost two wickets in the first over of the second innings. The two players displayed remarkable determination, as they successfully defended against the new ball initially on Day 4 and then capitalized on its softness towards the day’s conclusion with a brilliant partnership.
Arguably the Finest Shubman Gill Knock
This innings could be considered Gill’s best performance to date. The 91 he scored at the Gabba in 2021 is a career pinnacle, yet this innings, amid the pressures of captaincy, in English conditions, and with India at the edge, showcased a distinct form of maturity.
Even a hit to his fingers near the end of the innings couldn’t disturb Gill. He appeared composed the entire time, seldom flustered, seldom defeated. For a player who had mentioned prior to the tour about wishing to distinguish between captaincy and batting, this was an exemplary lesson in delineating roles and duties.
Records broken by Gill during the Innings
- Shubman Gill achieved his fourth century of the series. He currently holds the record for the highest number of centuries by a visiting captain in a bilateral Test series versus England, surpassing iconic figures such as Don Bradman, Garry Sobers, and Alan Melville.
- With the hundred, Shubman Gill also tied with Bradman and Gavaskar to became the player with the most hundreds by any captain in one Test series.
- He also became the third Indian batsman to exceed 700 runs in one Test series, surpassing Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 712 scored against England at home in 2024. Only Gavaskar’s 774, scored during the memorable 1971 tour of the West Indies, still stands in first place.
