Shubman Gill silenced his critics and stamped his authority as a leader with a majestic unbeaten 127 on Day 1 of the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds. Batting at No. 4—a slot previously dominated by legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli—Gill delivered under pressure and guided India to 359/3 at stumps.
Yuvraj Singh: “He Understands Responsibility”
Former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh, who has mentored Gill since his U-19 days, took to social media to praise the young captain.
“Some things clearly are written in the stars. Congratulations @ShubmanGill on your first overseas century as Test captain. You clearly understand what a serious responsibility it is, and you’ve let your bat do all the talking. Well done, and here’s to many more!”
Gill’s fluent innings came at a time when many doubted his ability to perform in overseas SENA countries. Until this match, he had never scored a Test century outside India.
Badrinath Declares: “Prince. King. Shubman Gill.”
Joining in the chorus of praise, S. Badrinath dubbed Gill not just the ‘Prince’ but the new ‘King’ of Indian cricket, saying:
Prince. King. #ShubmanGill.”
Gill’s century marked his first in SENA countries and made him the fifth Indian after Hazare, Gavaskar, Vengsarkar, and Kohli to score a hundred on Test captaincy debut.
India in Command After Day 1
Gill’s knock came after KL Rahul (42) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (101) laid a solid foundation. Jaiswal and Gill added 129 runs for the third wicket. After Jaiswal’s dismissal by Stokes, Rishabh Pant (65)* joined Gill to end the day with an unbroken 138-run stand.
England’s bowling looked toothless in the absence of experienced pacers like Anderson, Wood, and Archer. With the skies clearing and the pitch flattening, India capitalized fully on Stokes’ decision to bowl first.
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