Shubman Gill scored his first double century for India in red-ball cricket on Day 2 of the second Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Thursday, July 3. The Indian Test skipper delivered a magnificent knock of 269 runs off 387 balls, helping India reach a mammoth total of 587 in the first innings after being asked to bat first by Ben Stokes.
Shubman became the first Asian captain to make a double century in Tests played in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia). He also achieved the highest score by an Indian batter outside Asia, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s 241* against Australia in Sydney in 2004.
However, following the end of Day 2, Shubman revealed that he was struggling to find boundaries at one point in his innings, and he even discussed the issue with head coach Gautam Gambhir. However, the 25-year-old did not panic because he recognised he needed to bat deep, knowing that batting collapses like those in the first Test may occur in English conditions.
“I thought the ball had softened, and my shots were going right to the fielders. I was 35-40 off 100 balls and told Gautam bhai I was having trouble finding boundaries. The runs weren’t coming as easily as they had in the first Test, and I knew if I was set, I needed to remain to the end and finish the job. The lessons from the previous match were clear—lower-order collapses can happen rapidly in these conditions, so my objective was to bat long and minimise mistakes,” Shubman stated on JioHotstar’s ‘Match Centre Live’.
The right-handed batsman also stated that he had missed opportunities earlier in his career, but he went back to fundamentals and attempted to stay comfortable and in the moment while hitting at Edgbaston.
“I focused on my initial movement and setup throughout the IPL and in preparation for this series. Previously, I’d often leave around the 30s and 40s, possibly due to missing my peak concentration window. This time, I went back to basics—the way I used to bat as a child. I concentrated on rhythm, remained comfortable, and did not think about the score. “The idea was to enjoy my batting and stay in the moment,” Gill explained.
I began practicing with the red ball during the IPL itself: Shubman Gill
Shubman stated that switching formats is not a simple procedure. The majority of Indian players competed in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which concluded two weeks before the commencement of the Anderston-Tendulkar Trophy. Shubman claimed that he began practicing with the red ball during the IPL itself.
“Moving between formats is difficult, particularly from T20 to Test cricket. Over the previous four or five years, we’ve seen how much the technique, thinking, and whole setup have changed. After three months of instinct-based cricket, it’s difficult to suddenly shift gears and rein everything in. That’s why I began practicing with the red ball during the IPL, just to prepare my mind and body for Test match cricket. “Test to T20 is manageable, but the other way around really tests your discipline,” Shubman explained.
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