"Get To Crack IPL Every Year": Shubman Gill On Importance Of Test Series Win In England
Shubman Gill believes captaining India to a Test series victory in England would be a bigger achievement than winning the Indian Premier League. Gill is set for his first assignment since succeeding Rohit Sharma as Test skipper as he leads a new-look side in the first of five matches against Ben Stokes' England at Headingley this week. Test cricket, for so long the pinnacle of the game, has to compete with T20 franchise leagues around the world and players have multiple commitments.
Gill, who won the IPL title with Gujarat Giants in 2022, still views Tests, and especially series wins outside of Asia, as the ultimate achievement.
"You don't get many opportunities as a captain to be able to come to England -- maybe two, if you're the best of your generation, maybe three -- and you get to have a crack at the IPL every year," the batsman told a pre-match press conference in Leeds on Thursday.
"In my opinion winning a Test series in England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are bigger."
India will be without the retired trio of Rohit, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin as they aim for a first Test series win in England since 2007.
Gill did not reveal his team for the first Test at Headingley but confirmed he would step in to Kohli's usual position of four in the batting order.
Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant are big-name players but Gill said less experienced members of the India squad were unburdened by past failures in England.
"A lot of people talk about us not having experience but there are positives that we don't really have any baggage coming to England because not all of the players have been to England," he said.
"That could be one thing that makes the difference for us because we won't be carrying any baggage. We are all very motivated."
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IND vs ENG 1st Test: Skipper Gill powers India to record start vs England
A new chapter in Indian Test cricket got off to a flying start as Shubman Gill-led India dominated Day 1 of the opening Test against England at Headingley, Leeds. Electing to bowl first under overcast skies, Ben Stokes' decision backfired spectacularly as India reached stumps at a commanding 359 for 3 — their highest-ever first-day total in a Test match on English soil, surpassing the previous best of 338 at Edgbaston in 2022. Leading from the front, Shubman Gill remained unbeaten on 127, registering a captaincy debut century that also made history — he became the first Indian skipper in 37 years to score a hundred in his maiden Test as captain. He was ably supported by Yashasvi Jaiswal, who continued his stellar red-ball form with a composed 101 off 172 balls. India began solidly with an opening stand of 91 between KL Rahul (42) and Jaiswal. However, England struck back late in the morning session with quick wickets. Brydon Carse removed Rahul, while Stokes trapped debutant Sai Sudharsan for a duck, leaving India at 92 for 2 by lunch. But the visitors turned the tide emphatically in the second session. Jaiswal and Gill stitched together a century partnership that not only stabilised the innings but also put the English bowlers under severe pressure. The duo added 123 runs in the post-lunch session without losing a wicket, showcasing patience and flair in equal measure. England got a brief opening early in the third session when Stokes dismissed Jaiswal on 101 — the left-hander misjudged a short ball just after reaching his fourth Test hundred. But any hopes of a collapse were swiftly quashed as vice-captain Rishabh Pant (65 off 96 balls)* joined Gill in a fluent and aggressive stand. The Gill–Pant duo added an unbeaten 138-run partnership for the fourth wicket, maintaining a brisk scoring rate and ensuring India ended the day firmly on top. India scorecard after day 1 India 1st Inning 359-3 (85 ov) CRR:4.22 Batter Dismissal R B 4s 6s SR Yashasvi Jaiswal b B Stokes 101 158 16 1 63.92 KL Rahul c J Root b B Carse 42 78 8 0 53.85 Sai Sudharsan c JL Smith b B Stokes 0 4 0 0 0 Shubman Gill (C) Not out 127 175 16 1 72.57 Rishabh Pant (WK) Not out 65 102 6 2 63.73 Extras 24 (b 1, Ib 10, w 1, nb 7, p 5) Total 359 (3 wkts, 85 Ov) Bowler O M R W NB ECO Chris Woakes 19 2 89 0 2 4.68 Brydon Carse 16 5 70 1 3 4.38 Josh Tongue 16 0 75 0 1 4.69 Ben Stokes 13 1 43 2 1 3.3 Shoaib Bashir 21 4 66 0 0 3.14
Hindustan Times
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Kolkata: Resolute hundreds from Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Shubman Gill propelled India to a commanding 359/3 on Day 1 of the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds. Yashasvi Jaiswal in action on Day 1 of Leeds Test. (Action Images via Reuters) Put to bat on a Yorkshire pitch that had an even covering of grass, Jaiswal and KL Rahul stitched a 91-run opening stand before England took two wickets in six balls on the stroke of lunch threatening to derail India. That prompted an even stronger response from the visitors, with Jaiswal adding 129 runs with Gill before being cleaned up by Ben Stokes in the 53rd over. Dug in by then, Gill shepherded the innings with impressive doggedness that was countered by an entertaining fifty from Rishabh Pant, as the captain and vice-captain added another 138 runs to pile more misery on England. 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Barring Pant of course, who charted his innings with a range of improvised strokes, skipping down to Ben Stokes and swatting the ball over his head, refusing to respect Shoaib Bashir's off breaks, paddling and pulling but also showing the presence of mind to not go overboard all the time. Showstopping act was Jaiswal's hundred though, a riveting display of off-side strokeplay with only nine of those 100 runs coming from the leg side. The only time Jaiswal looked a bit wobbly was when Brydon Carse struck him in the ribs by Brydon Carse. Before and after that, Jaiswal was happily dictating the flow of runs, cutting and driving with pomp. So spooked were England that they burned an lbw review on a Josh Tongue delivery from around the wicket that had pitched outside leg stump. Stunned into submission, England later couldn't go for a leg-before review because Brydon Carse had overstepped while bowling a ball that to the naked eye felt like Jaiswal had got his bat down to first. 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Deccan Herald
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Centurions Gill, Jaiswal take India to 359/3 on Day 1 of 1st Test against England
With the ton, Gill joins an elite group of Indians -- Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Virat Kohli -- who scored centuries in their first Test as captain.
