There was an invisible pressure on Shubman Gill’s shoulders — not only was he the new captain of the Indian team, but he also had the responsibility of batting in the crucial No. 4 position.
However, Gill seemed unbothered. With a magnificent century, he made it clear that the responsibility hadn’t fallen into the wrong hands.
This was his first innings as captain. The role had changed, but Gill’s batting form remained the same. He started off brilliantly. When he came to the crease with India at 92 for 2, the “Indian Prince” was filled with calm confidence.
After the fall of two quick wickets, India was slightly on the back foot. The situation called for a cautious innings — any mistake could be costly. But Gill’s bat spoke a different language. He launched a counterattack, as if he were playing an ODI at Headingley rather than a Test match. Whenever the bowlers loosened up even a little, Gill sent the ball racing to the boundary. Solid technique, aggression, and unwavering confidence — pure class.
He struck boundaries all around the ground. Against England’s experienced pacer Chris Woakes, he hit three boundaries in a single over, clearly showing why he is considered the future leader of Indian batting.
In the 43rd over of the innings, Gill brought up his half-century with a superb boundary off Josh Tongue. It came off just 56 balls — the fastest fifty of his Test career.
Previously, in 2024, he had scored fifties off 60 balls in Visakhapatnam and 64 balls in Dharamsala — both times against England. It’s as if Gill’s bat transforms whenever he faces the English.
But a half-century wasn’t enough for him — he wanted to make his first innings as captain a memorable one. And so, off 140 balls, he raised a century to remember.
Who would take over the captaincy after Rohit Sharma? Who could be a worthy replacement for Virat Kohli at number four? This century seemed to answer it all. By removing all doubts, it reminded everyone of one thing — the responsibility of Team India has indeed been placed in the right hands.
