Shubman Gill’s Twin Tons at Edgbaston Rewrite Test Cricket History

269 in the first innings, 101* in the second — India’s young skipper lights up England, breaks Kohli’s record

HH News Desk and Anand Yadav 3 weeks agoLast Updated: July 5, 2025

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Reviewed & Published by HH Sports Desk

Birmingham, July 5: You can’t script it better. A double hundred in the first innings, a century in the second, and a swagger that says, “This is my era now.” Shubman Gill didn’t just bat at Edgbaston—he owned it. Turn the lights down low, this Test match already has a headliner, and it’s a 24-year-old from Fazilka playing his first series as India’s Test captain.

Shubman Gill’s Red-Ball Rhapsody Roars At Edgbaston

This wasn’t just about numbers—though let’s be real, 269 and 101 not out are numbers that scream for headlines. No, this was poetry in motion. He wasn’t hacking across the line, he was painting with the willow. Nine fours and three sixes in that second-innings century, each shot timed like a heartbeat—somewhere between Rohit’s grace and Kohli’s conviction.

And here’s the kicker: first man in history to score a double hundred and a hundred in the same Test against England. At Edgbaston, no less—the cauldron that cooked so many visiting captains. As The Guardian noted, India marched into tea on Day 4 with a ridiculous 484-run lead, thanks in large part to Gill’s back-to-back masterclass.

Let that sink in. A 24-year-old, fresh in the big chair, doing something Tendulkar, Dravid, even Kohli never pulled off. This wasn’t just a statement. It was a coronation.

Breaking Records, And Then Some

By the time he was done turning Edgbaston into his personal showcase, Gill had clocked 460 runs in four innings—leaving Virat Kohli’s debut captaincy series record in the rear-view mirror, as reported by NDTV Sports. He didn’t just break records. He drop-kicked them into next week.

It’s the kind of purple patch you don’t plan for. It arrives like monsoon rain—you just soak in it and hope it lasts forever. And while the future will throw sterner tests, Gill’s numbers in this series feel like the kind that shift a career, a team, maybe even a generation.

But Wait—Captaincy Ain’t All Roses

Of course, the cricketing gods never let you have it all. While Gill was doing Mozart things with the bat, his tactical sheet raised a few eyebrows. Specifically, from David Lloyd, who wasn’t exactly subtle when he slammed the Indian skipper’s defensive field during England’s 303-run sixth-wicket partnership. “Two slips? On this wicket?” he scoffed, per Times of India.

And let’s be honest, Bumble wasn’t wrong. That passage of play? Painful. It felt like India were playing not to lose, rather than to win. A cautious Gill, fingers probably sore, watching the game drift in that godforsaken post-lunch lull—it was the one blot on an otherwise masterful canvas.

This isn’t criticism from the sidelines. It’s a reminder: leadership is brutal. The runs might dazzle, but the fields can haunt you.

A Hit, A Scare, And A Glimpse Of Brotherhood

Then came the heart-stopper. On Day 3, Gill went for a low grab and took a nasty blow on the hand. You could feel the hush across the ground. For a second, time froze. Is he okay? Is this going to be one of those cruel stories?

But there was Rishabh Pant, all instinct and heart, stepping up—not just calling the DRS on Gill’s behalf but quite literally being his stand-in in that moment, as reported by NDTV Sports. No words, just the gesture. That’s what teammates do. That’s what families do.

Gill shook it off. He was back. No drama. Just grit.

The Bigger Picture: A Leader In Bloom

So where does this leave us? A Test still hanging, a team on the brink of a famous overseas series win, and a young captain who’s just announced himself with more thunder than trumpet.

This isn’t about hype anymore. This is about belief. In a team figuring itself out post-Kohli and post-Rohit, Shubman Gill feels like the axis around which Indian Test cricket might just pivot. And no, it won’t all be centuries and curtain calls. There will be bruises. Questions. Maybe even collapses.

But if this is how the Gill era begins—bat soaked in runs, head clear in storms, and leadership stitched together with the help of old friends like Pant—then bring it on. This kid isn’t just ready.

He’s already in charge.

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The HH News Desk is the central editorial team at Hindustan Herald, committed to delivering accurate, timely, and impactful news across categories. From politics to public interest, the team blends journalistic integrity with deep research to provide well-rounded stories that inform, engage, and resonate with readers nationwide.

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Anand Yadav

Reporting Fellow at Hindustan Herald

Anand Yadav is a Reporting Fellow at Hindustan Herald, with a daily focus on delivering engaging sports news and analysis. Currently studying at Lucknow University, Anand is passionate about sports journalism and committed to providing well-researched insights into game dynamics, player performances, and the broader impact of sports. He consistently strives to keep our audience informed and entertained with his coverage.