Shubman Gill's Historic Double Ton: A Masterclass in Birmingham

In a dazzling display of skill and endurance, Indian captain Shubman Gill etched his name in the annals of cricket history with a remarkable double century against England in the second Test at Birmingham on Thursday. Gill remained unbeaten at 265*, achieved in 380 balls, punctuated by 30 boundaries and three sixes, marking a strike rate near 70.

This monumental feat makes him only the sixth Indian to cross 250 runs in Test cricket, following in the illustrious footsteps of Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Karun Nair, and Virat Kohli. Previously, the highest score by an Indian outside the subcontinent was Sachin Tendulkar's iconic 241* against Australia in 2004. Now, Gill joins cricket legends Rahul Dravid and Sunil Gavaskar as the third Indian to achieve a double ton on English soil against England.

Gill's innings also saw him surpass leading scores previously held by Indian captains, eclipsing Mohammad Azharuddin's 179 in 1990. With this landmark score, Gill redefines records, emerging as the first Asian captain with a double century in England, marking a career highlight with just his third innings as captain matching Sunil Gavaskar's quick milestone-setting innings.

(With inputs from agencies.)