ENG vs IND: Shubman Gill stamps his authority with a century on Test captaincy debut at Headingley

Shubman Gill marked his Test captaincy debut with a sublime century at Headingley. He anchored India’s innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant, showcasing leadership and poise in the post-Rohit-Kohli era.

The newly-appointed India Test captain, Shubman Gill, has made an emphatic start to his leadership tenure with a brilliant century on Day 1 first Test against England at Headingley in Leeds on Friday, June 20.

Shubman Gill has been shouldered with a lot of expectations and responsibility as soon as he walked in to bat after Sai Sudharsan’s dismissal at 92/2, marking the beginning of his leadership innings not just a batter but also the face of India’s new Test era after the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, in what in known as post Rohit-Kohli era.

Since the captain is one of the crucial elements in the transition phase, Shubman Gill has embraced the challenge, which was visible in his batting, not only defined by his class but also readiness to steer India’s red-ball future.

Gill kicks off captaincy stint in style

Shubman Gill made a statement on his Test captaincy debut by scoring a composed century that blended poise with purpose, anchoring India’s innings and setting the tone for a bold new era in Indian Test cricket. Before Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal heralded the dawn of India’s next-generation dominance, and together, the duo’s centuries at Headingley represent a seamless handover of leadership in the post-Rohit-Kohli era.

Gill was visibly unfazed by the pressure of Test captaincy as he got settled into the rhythm as soon as he took the guard, playing with much confidence and maturity as if the captain in him had always been there, quiet, calm, and assertive. His 129-run partnership with Jaiswal (101 off 159 balls) took the team past the 200-run mark and put the visitors in a commanding position.

After Jaiswal’s dismissal, Shubman Gill took charge and anchored India’s innings, with Rishabh Pant rotating the strike smartly and shifting gears when needed. After Gill got into the 90s, there was a little sign of nervousness, but not once did he stray from his focus.

The skipper was batting on 98 when he hit a boundary off Josh Tongue to complete the three-figure mark. Gill celebrated his maiden Test century as a captain ecstatically as his teammates and support staff in the dressing room stood up to applaud his knock.

This was Shubman Gill’s first international century on England soil. Before the first Test in Headingley, the 25-year-old’s record was poor, scoring just 88 runs at an average of 14.66 in six innings. With a century on English soil, Gill not only buried the ghost of his past performances but also showcased his readiness to script India’s next red-ball chapter with authority and composure.

Shubman Gill joins elite list with a century on Test captaincy debut

With a century on his Test captaincy debut, Shubman Gill has joined the elite list of Indian players who have achieved a similar feat. The likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Virat Kohli, Vijay Hazare, and Dilip Vengsarkar have all scored centuries in their first matches as a Test captain.

Now, Shubman Gill finds himself in an illustrious company, a testimony to his temperament, class, and readiness to lead India in its red-ball chapter. Before the Headingley Test, Gill stated he wanted to focus more as a batter rather than thinking about the captaincy pressure.

“When I want to go out there and bat, I want to play as a batter and not think about the captaincy, which can put pressure on me. I want to be the best batter in the series,” he said at the press conference.

Shubman Gill’s words have mirrored his actions on the field, where he batted more with freedom and intent, proving that leadership has not weighed him down.

At the end of Day 1, Shubman Gill (127) and Rishabh Pant (65) shared an unbeaten 138-run partnership for the fourth wicket as Team India posted a total of 359/3 in 85 overs.