Ever since Shubman Gill took over the reins of the Indian Test team, his performance has reached remarkable new heights. His recent heroics at Edgbaston against England, where he scored a breathtaking 269 in the first innings followed by a stylish 161 in the second, have only confirmed what cricket fans have long believed—Gill is a generational talent.
Nicknamed the “Shubman Show in Shelby Town” (a cheeky nod to Birmingham’s Peaky Blinders fame), Gill’s rise as captain has created waves across the cricketing world. With the form he’s in, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him break records that even the legendary Virat Kohli couldn’t.
Getting on the Lord’s Honours Board – A Feat Kohli Missed
One of the most prestigious milestones for any batter is to score a century at Lord’s and etch their name on the historic honours board. Interestingly, despite playing three Tests at Lord’s and batting in six innings, Virat Kohli never managed to cross the 50-run mark at the venue. Only ten Indian batters have ever scored centuries at Lord’s, and among them is KL Rahul, the only active player in the current squad with that honour.
Shubman Gill, however, is in blistering form. With two centuries and a double century in just four innings as captain in England, he’s already making a strong case to become the 11th Indian batter to get on the Lord’s honours board—and potentially the first Indian captain to do so since Mohammad Azharuddin in 1990.
A Historic Series Win in the Making
Gill’s start as captain has already seen India level the five-match Test series in England at 1-1. With pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah available for the remaining matches, there is a real chance for India to clinch a historic series victory. The last time India won a Test series in England was back in 2007–08, making this a golden opportunity to break an 18-year drought.
Comparatively, Virat Kohli’s debut as full-time captain in a SENA country (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) came during India’s 2017–18 tour of South Africa, where India lost 1-2. His first time leading the team in a SENA Test match came during the 2014–15 tour of Australia, but India had already lost the first two matches before he took full charge.
Another painful memory for Kohli came in the 2020–21 series in England. India, under his leadership, was up 2-1 after four matches, but the fifth Test was postponed due to COVID-19. By the time it was rescheduled, Kohli was no longer captain, and India lost, resulting in a 2-2 draw.
Now, Gill has the chance to do what Kohli couldn’t—win a full-fledged Test series in England as captain. If he pulls it off, it will mark a defining moment not just in his career, but also in Indian cricket history.
