Shubman Gill couldn’t have asked for a better start to his red-ball captaincy career. On the opening day of the first Test against England at Headingley, the 25-year-old led from the front, producing a composed and fluent half-century that underlined both his form and leadership credentials.
After being put in to bat by Ben Stokes on a sunlit day in Leeds, India looked to rebuild from the early loss of KL Rahul. Gill, walking in at No. 4 for the first time in his Test career, joined Yashasvi Jaiswal to steady the innings with assurance and flair. He reached his eighth Test fifty — and fastest — off just 56 balls, a knock laced with eight well-timed boundaries.
It also marked his highest score in England and made him the ninth Indian to score a half-century in his first innings as Test captain. At 25 years and 285 days, Gill became the youngest to do so.
Gill’s innings was not just about statistics. His calm presence at the crease and clear shot selection signaled a maturity beyond his years, reinforcing the belief that Indian cricket is in safe hands following the Test retirements of stalwarts Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and R Ashwin.
India also handed a debut to Sai Sudharsan at No. 3 and welcomed Karun Nair back into the fold after more than eight years. While Sudharsan’s debut was short-lived, Gill ensured India remained in a strong position going into the latter half of the day.
