Shubman Gill showcased an extraordinary, career-defining performance at Edgbaston, crafting a magnificent 269 in the initial innings and following it with a compelling 161 in the second. This monumental effort firmly cements his standing among cricket’s contemporary titans.
His remarkable scores of 269 and 161 propelled him into an elite group: he’s only the fifth player in Test history to accumulate over 400 runs in a single match; this achievement was formerly reached solely by celebrated cricketers such as Graham Gooch, Mark Taylor, Kumar Sangakkara, and Brian Lara. Gill’s aggregate of 430 runs in the match now ranks as the second-highest in Test history.
India, driven by Gill’s dominance, posted a combined 1,011 runs, the highest total they have ever recorded in a single Test match, rewriting their record books in emphatic fashion. The monumental score also marked the first time the team breached the 1,000-run barrier in a Test.
Captaining India for only the second time, and under fire for benching pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, Gill silenced all criticism with the bat. Not only did he power India to a commanding lead, but he also broke Sunil Gavaskar’s long-standing Indian record of 344 runs in a single Test, set over five decades ago.
Former England pacer Stuart Broad acknowledged Gill’s brilliance, he stated, “You look for technical liabilities, but Gill showed none. He played with grace, intelligence, and maturity well beyond his age.”
The 24-year-old’s incredible effort also made him just the second batter after Allan Border to score both a double century and a 150-plus in the same match , a rare landmark last achieved 45 years ago.
Historically, Indian batters have often paused in England’s testing conditions, but Gill broke the pattern with an inspired blend of patience and aggression. His shot selection and confidence left the English bowling attack without answers.
Further bolstering his impressive record, Gill has amassed 585 runs in the series, putting him temptingly close to Rahul Dravid’s Indian benchmark of 602 runs for the most in a Test series in England. Virat Kohli’s 593 runs keep him firmly in contention.
In the second innings, he cleared the boundary eight times, setting a new record for the most sixes hit by an Indian Test captain in a single innings. The innings helped set a scary target of 608 for the home side.
Virat Kohli hailed the young star’s effort on Instagram, writing:
“Well played, Star Boy. Rewriting history. Onwards and upwards from here. You deserve all of this.”
