Shubman Gill's Historic Double Century: A Moment of Pride for Team India
Shubman Gill's Remarkable Achievement
The captain of Team India, Shubman Gill, celebrated a significant milestone as he scored his first Test double century during the second Test match against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on July 4.
Gill's impressive innings of 269 runs off 387 balls captured the attention of cricket enthusiasts worldwide, marking his inaugural double-century both as a captain and a batsman.
Dominating the English Bowling Attack
His outstanding performance included a remarkable 203-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja, who contributed 89 runs, and a 144-run collaboration for the seventh wicket with Washington Sundar, who scored 42 runs. This effort propelled Team India to a total of 587 runs in their first innings over 151 overs.
Gill's ability to counter England's bowling attack with both resilience and strategic aggression has solidified his legacy in Indian Test cricket.
Parents' Pride and Emotions
The historic double century not only secured Gill's place in cricket history but also filled his parents, Lakhwinder and Keart, with immense pride. A video shared by the Indian Cricket Team on Instagram showcased Gill listening to a heartfelt voice note from his father.
In the message, Lakhwinder expressed a sense of 'peace' while reminiscing about Gill's earlier cricketing days in age-group competitions. He stated, 'Shubman, son, well played. Watching your batting today brought great joy and peace to my heart, just like when you played in U16 and U19. I felt very proud.'
A Mother's Blessing
Gill's mother also shared her pride, saying, 'It felt wonderful watching your batting, son. Keep it up, and God bless you.'
Record-Breaking Innings
During his remarkable innings, Shubman Gill broke multiple records, including surpassing Virat Kohli's highest individual Test score as an Indian captain, and becoming the first Asian captain to score a Test double century in SENA countries. He also became the first Indian batsman to achieve a Test double century since Rahul Dravid in 2002.
A Father's Aspirations
While Lakhwinder was proud of his son's achievement, he secretly wished for Gill to reach a triple century. Gill reflected on this, saying, 'Growing up, I played all my cricket for my dad, as he was the reason I started playing.' He added, 'He and my best friend are the only two people in cricket whose opinions matter to me. It means a lot coming from him, but he also mentioned that I missed my chance for a triple century.'
Team India's Strong Position
As Day 2 concluded, Team India maintained a strong position, with Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj supporting Gill's double century with impressive bowling performances. At the end of the day, England was at 77 runs for 3 wickets in 20 overs, with Joe Root and Harry Brook scoring 18 and 30 runs, respectively, leaving the hosts trailing by 510 runs.