Shubman Gill's magnificent century at Edgbaston has drawn high praise from cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who lauded the young captain's composure and control under pressure. Gill's innings anchored India's batting performance on the first day of the second Test against England, leading the team to a total of 310/5 at stumps.
Tendulkar, taking to social media platform X, commended Gill's "cool" approach and "total control" at the crease. He also acknowledged Yashasvi Jaiswal's aggressive start, highlighting the contrasting yet complementary styles of the two young batsmen. Tendulkar wrote, "@ybj_19 set the tone from ball one. He was positive, fearless and smartly aggressive. @ShubmanGill was cool as ever, calm under pressure, solid in defence and in total control. Classy knocks from both. Well played, boys!".
Gill's Edgbaston century is particularly significant as it marks his second consecutive Test century as captain. He had previously scored a century in the first Test at Headingley. This achievement places him in an elite list of Indian captains, making him only the fourth to score centuries in their first two Tests as captain, following Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar, and Virat Kohli. Gill is also only the second Indian captain to score a Test century at Edgbaston, after Virat Kohli.
The 25-year-old's innings at Edgbaston was a display of skill and maturity, with Gill demonstrating remarkable control and composure. According to CricViz, he played with 94% control during his innings, which is the lowest figure for a Test hundred in England since records began in 2006. Gill's ability to absorb pressure and guide the innings was crucial for India, especially after the team had suffered early setbacks. He formed a vital 99-run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja, helping India recover from a mid-innings wobble.
Gill's recent form has been exceptional, with this being his third consecutive Test century against England. He joins Mohammad Azharuddin, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Rahul Dravid as the only other Indian players to achieve this feat against England. This Edgbaston ton was his seventh in Test cricket. Overall, Gill has played 33 Test matches, scoring 2,048 runs at an average of 37, including 7 centuries and 7 half-centuries. In addition to his Test achievements, Gill also holds the 1st position in the ICC ODI batting rankings. In his ODI career, he has played 55 matches and scored 2,775 runs, averaging 59.
Shubman Gill made his international debut in January 2019 and has quickly established himself as a key player in the Indian team. His success has been attributed to his talent, hard work, and guidance from mentors like Yuvraj Singh. With his recent performances, Gill has solidified his position as a leader and a vital asset to the Indian cricket team, carrying the hopes of the nation on his shoulders.
