India captain Shubman Gill continued his red-hot form in the second Test against England, backing up his monumental 268 in the first innings with a majestic 161 in the second
Edgbaston: Former India skipper Virat Kohli has showered praise on current captain Shubman Gill, who produced yet another masterclass with the bat in the second Test against England at Edgbaston on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Gill, fresh from a monumental 269 in the first innings, followed it up with a blistering 161 off just 162 balls in the second. His century powered India to a commanding declaration at 427/6 in 83 overs, setting England a daunting target of 608 runs in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series.
Taking to Instagram, Kohli — who recently announced his retirement from Test cricket ahead of the England tour — lauded Gill’s heroics.
“Well played, star boy. Rewriting history. Onwards and upwards from here. You deserve all of this,” wrote Kohli, sharing a photo of Gill celebrating his century.
Gill began the series in style with a sublime 147 in the first Test at Headingley, Leeds. Despite centuries from Gill, Rishabh Pant (who made hundreds in both innings), and additional tons by Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, India fell short in Leeds, losing by five wickets.
In Edgbaston, Gill’s brilliance was complemented by crucial contributions from KL Rahul (55), Rishabh Pant (65), and an unbeaten 69 from Ravindra Jadeja, putting India firmly in control.
With Kohli and Rohit Sharma stepping away from the longest format, Gill’s sensational form as captain has offered Indian fans fresh hope — and a glimpse of a new era built on fearless, attacking cricket.
India’s new Test captain Shubman Gill has turned the iconic No. 4 spot — once the stronghold of Virat Kohli — into his own stage for history-making heroics.
Batting at the same position once occupied by the recently retired Kohli, the 25-year-old Gill has delivered a phenomenal performance in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series against England.
After starting the series with a sublime 147 in the first innings of the opening Test at Headingley, Leeds — a match India ultimately lost by five wickets despite centuries from Gill, Rishabh Pant (who made hundreds in both innings), Yashasvi Jaiswal, and KL Rahul — Gill elevated his game even further in the second Test at Edgbaston.
Gill smashed a monumental 268 in the first innings, then followed it up with a blistering 161 in the second, studded with 13 fours and eight sixes. It was his eighth Test century overall, his fifth against England, and incredibly, his third century in just his fourth innings as India’s Test captain.
This extraordinary run has placed Gill among cricket’s elite: with a combined total of 430 runs in the match, he now stands as the second-highest run-scorer in a single Test, behind only England legend Graham Gooch’s 456, and he is the first player ever to score 200 and 150 in the same Test.
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