Shubman Gill batted in a world of his own at Edgbaston, following up his century in Leeds with a magnificent maiden double hundred in the second Test against England. The 25-year-old Indian skipper reached the landmark in 311 balls, an innings studded with 23 boundaries and two sixes, as he dominated the English attack with class, composure, and precision.
In the process, Gill shattered several records. He became the first Asian captain to score a double century in a Test match in England. Gill now holds the record for the highest individual score by an Indian captain on English soil, surpassing Mohammad Azharuddin’s 179 at Old Trafford in 1990. He also became the highest scorer for India in England in Test, breaking long-standing record of legendary Sunil Gavaskar 221.
Gill’s incredible innings also saw him become the 26th Indian to score a Test double century and the 13th Indian with exactly one double ton in the format. Overall, this was the 50th time an Indian batter reached a Test double century.
He joined an elite club of Indian captains with Test double hundreds — a list that includes Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Sunil Gavaskar, and Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. Remarkably, Gill is now also the fourth Indian to have double centuries in both Tests and ODIs, alongside Rohit Sharma, Sachin Tendulkar, and Virender Sehwag.
What made Gill’s knock even more special was the sheer control he exhibited. According to CricViz, his false shot percentage was just 3.5% — the most secure Test century recorded in England since such data began in 2006. To put it in perspective, the average in England is 12%. His innings contained only a handful of edges and no major blemishes, highlighting his mastery at the crease.
