Shubman Gill’s sensational double century in the second Test at Edgbaston has become the talk of the cricketing world, and now, former India cricketer Yograj Singh has added another layer to the narrative. Speaking after Gill’s commanding knock of 269 off 387 balls, Yograj credited his son Yuvraj Singh for mentoring the young Indian captain and praised Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir for fostering a strong cricketing culture within the squad.
Gill’s marathon innings not only anchored India’s first-innings total of 587 but also etched his name into the history books. He became the highest individual scorer for India in a Test match in England, surpassing legendary names like Sunil Gavaskar and Virat Kohli. He also became the sixth Indian batter to cross the 250-run mark in a Test innings and now holds the record for the highest score by an Indian Test captain.
“Yuvraj Singh personally coached Shubman Gill. He is a great player, and one should learn coaching from Yuvraj and Gautam Gambhir. If Brian Lara can score 500 runs, why can’t our players?” Yograj Singh told ANI, suggesting that Indian cricket is in safe hands with such guidance.
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Gill’s double century also marked a significant moment in his Test career, especially considering the criticism he faced over his performances in overseas conditions. This innings at Edgbaston, along with the 147 he scored in the first Test at Leeds, has firmly silenced his doubters. He also became the first Indian captain to register a double century in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia), a rare feat achieved previously only by Virat Kohli outside Asia.
Post-match, Gill admitted that he had worked on technical aspects of his game ahead of the series. “I worked on a few things before the series I thought were important for me going into Test cricket, and looking at the results, those things are working for me,” he said.
India capitalized on Gill’s knock by building a massive first-innings score. The bowlers then ensured early breakthroughs on Day 2. Debutant Akash Deep, stepping in for Jasprit Bumrah, struck twice in the third over—removing Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope with back-to-back deliveries. Gill himself took a sharp catch to dismiss Duckett at third slip.
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Mohammed Siraj added to the misery by sending Zak Crawley back for 19, reducing England to 25/3. A small resistance from Joe Root and Harry Brook helped the hosts recover slightly to 77/3 at stumps, but with India well in control, Day 3 promises more drama.
