'Written in the stars': Yuvraj Singh thrilled as captain Shubman Gill slams maiden Test century in England
Rishabh Pant celebrating his century vs England (Image via X/@BCCI)
A packed stadium at Headingley was witness to Shubman Gill's first century as Test captain on Friday. The 25-year-old bagged a thrilling ton as his impressive innings steered India to 359/3 at stumps on Day 3.
Gill's knock not only steadied India after the early wickets of KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan, but also sent a strong message in this new era without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. His composed ton laid the foundation for a solid first innings and showcased his growing maturity as both a batter and leader.
Former India star Yuvraj Singh, who has long mentored and backed Gill, summed up what many felt, posting a heartfelt message on X:
"
Some things clearly are written in the stars. Congratulations @ShubmanGill on your first overseas century as Test captain. You clearly understand what a serious responsibility it is and you've let your bat do all the talking. Well done and here's to many more! #INDvsENG
"
Shubman's Big Test Begins! India's Probable XI & Stokes' Mind Games | ENG vs IND 1st Test Preview
The bond between Yuvraj and Gill runs deep — both Punjabi cricketers, with Yuvraj guiding the youngster in his formative years, sharing tips on mental toughness and handling big-match pressure.
Alongside Gill, vice-captain Rishabh Pant too put in a solid innings, reaching 65 from 102 deliveries. After coming in for Sai Sudharsan at number five, the 27-year-old deputy has been relentlessly putting up a show against England's bowling line-up.
Poll
Do you believe Yuvraj Singh's mentorship has positively influenced Shubman Gill?
Definitely
Not At All
After Gill's impressive century, his third against England and first in the country, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan also took to X as he shared his praise for the new captain. Pathan wrote, "A full house at Headingley witnessed a Shubman Gill masterclass -a hundred full of flair and finesse."
India will look to increase their lead, as Gill and Pant return to the crease on Day 2. India will attempt to establish their dominance over the first Test in Headingley, and take a 1-0 lead in the series as they enter this new era.
Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
30 minutes ago
- Mint
'Amazing camaraderie': Jaiswal praises skipper Shubman Gill after memorable opening day in Leeds
Leeds [UK] June 21 (ANI): India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal expressed his admiration for newly-appointed Test captain Shubman Gill following their crucial 129-run partnership on Day 1 of the first Test against England at Headingley. Jaiswal, who smashed a fluent 101 off 159 balls, lauded Gill's calmness and composure at the crease, describing their time together in the middle as "amazing." Speaking at the post-day press conference, the 23-year-old left-hander said, "We have spoken a lot in the middle and we were just trying to make sure that we play session by session and try as many (runs) as we can get. Especially when there is a loose ball, we try to make sure that we put it in the right places." Jaiswal and Gill laid a solid foundation for India after being put into bat, with their partnership steering the visitors past the 200-run mark. While Jaiswal fell shortly after Tea, Gill remained unbeaten on 127 at stumps, showcasing excellent temperament in his captaincy debut. Praising the partnership and the leadership on display, Jaiswal added, "We really enjoyed together. There was amazing camaraderie between us. So, it was amazing to bat with him and he batted really well. The way he has been very calm and composed... I loved batting with him and enjoying under him as well." The young opener's knock, studded with sixteen boundaries and a six, was instrumental in giving India early control of the match. With Gill and vice-captain Rishabh Pant (65*) still at the crease, India will look to build on the strong platform on Day 2 as they finished Day 1 with 359/3. In the process, Gill crossed the 2,000-run milestone in Test cricket, while Pant breached the 3,000-run mark. England captain Ben Stokes, who managed to break through, finishing with 2/43. The only other English success came via Brydon Carse, who ended with figures of 1/70. India's 359-run effort surpassed their previous best opening-day score in England, 338/7 at Edgbaston in 2022. The last time a touring team piled on as many runs on Day 1 in England was South Africa's 362/4 at The Oval back in 2003. (ANI)
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
"Shubham Gill in his first test match as captain played a great knock": Tim Southee hails Indian skipper for his century on captaincy debut
Leeds [UK], June 21 (ANI): England bowling coach Tim Southee praised the depth and quality of the Indian Test side after a commanding performance by the visitors on Day 1 of the first Test against England at Headingley. India ended the day at a formidable 359/3, thanks to standout performances from captain Shubman Gill, opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, and vice-captain Rishabh Pant. 'I think the class of Indian side, no matter how many games they have played, is always going to be pretty good. They're certainly talented cricketers,' Southee said. He reserved special praise for Jaiswal and Gill, both of whom played pivotal roles in setting the tone for India. 'You look at Jaiswal, who's early on in his career he's had a tremendous start to his Test career. And Shubman Gill, in his first Test match as captain, played a great knock as well,' Southee added. 'I think the Indian openers sort of negotiated the first hour reasonably well, KL Rahul left balls well, and Yashasvi Jaiswal played his hand as well throughout,' he added. Southee also praised England test skipper Ben Stokes, citing him as the X-factor for his team. 'He's (Ben Stokes) a real X-Factor player, and we saw that today with a couple of breakthroughs that he was able to make and I guess when he's doing that, it's tough to get the ball out of his hand,' Tim Southee added. Jaiswal set the tone with a sparkling 101 of 159 balls, featuring sixteen boundaries and a six. Gill took over with a captain's knock, showing maturity and poise throughout his unbeaten 127-run effort. The stylish right-hander struck sixteen fours and a maximum in his 175-ball stay, steering India to their highest-ever first-day total in a Test match on English soil. Pant supported his skipper, remaining unbeaten on 65 from 102 deliveries. His innings was laced with six fours and two towering sixes, and he looked in full control alongside Gill in their unbroken 138-run partnership. In the process, Gill crossed the 2,000-run milestone in Test cricket, while Pant breached the 3,000-run mark. (ANI)
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
Yashasvi Jaiswal fifth Indian player to score century in first Test innings in England
Leeds [UK] June 20 (ANI): Indian star batter Yashasvi Jaiswal on Friday joined former Indian skipper, Saurav Ganguly (131 at Lord's, 1996), Vijay Manjrekar (133 at Leeds, 1952), Sandeep Patil (129* at Manchester, 1982) and Murali Vijay (146 at Nottingham, 2014) to score Test ton in their first Test innings on English soil. Jaiswal achieved this feat in his outing against England on Day 1 of the first test of the five-test match series on Friday at Leeds Headingley. This is also the start of the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle for both nations. Among players who have played at least five Tests and scored at least 500 runs against England, Jaiswal has the highest average. In six Tests, he has scored 813 runs across 10 innings at an average of 90.33, with three centuries and fifties each. He is the seventh Indian batter to score a century at Headingley. This century of Jaiswal is fifth of his test career, and it is worth noting none of his five tons have come against Asian nations. Notably, he has slammed a century on his maiden Test outings in Australia, the West Indies and England. Three of his centuries have come against England, and one each against Australia and the West Indies. Jaiswal was dismissed by England skipper Ben Stokes right after Tea on Day 1 for 101 runs, his innings included 16 fours and a six. Earlier on Day 1, Jaiswal's commanding century, along with Indian skipper Shubman Gill's strong innings, powered India to 215/2 at the end of the second session on Day 1. Jaiswal and KL Rahul's impactful innings powered India to finish the first session of Day 1 of the first Test, on 92/2 at Headingley, Leeds. England broke the Indian opening partnership on the stroke of Lunch as KL Rahul narrowly missed out on his half-century. (ANI)
