Shubman Gill Shines in Fourth Test Against England, Surpasses 700 Runs

Shubman Gill's Remarkable Comeback

In a crucial moment for Team India during the ongoing fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, captain Shubman Gill made a significant return to form. After struggling in the previous three innings, including a mere 12 runs in the first innings at Old Trafford, Gill showcased his skills with a resilient half-century. He scored 78 runs off 167 balls, forming a vital unbeaten partnership of 174 runs for the third wicket with KL Rahul, who contributed 87 runs off 210 balls. By the end of Day 4, India stood at 174/2, trailing by 137 runs.

A Stellar Series Performance

Gill's resurgence was particularly crucial as India faced early setbacks, losing two quick wickets with the score at 0/2. This came after England had posted a formidable first-innings total of 669, putting India under immense pressure as they aimed to avoid a 3-1 series deficit.

Throughout the series, Shubman Gill has been impressive, accumulating 585 runs, including two centuries and a double century, averaging 146 across four innings. However, his performance dipped in the subsequent three innings, where he managed only 34 runs, causing his average to drop below 90.

Breaking Records

Despite the concerns regarding his consistency, Gill responded emphatically by scoring his third century of the series, bringing his total runs to 700. This achievement places him among a select group of Indian players, becoming only the second to surpass 700 runs in a single Test series against England, following Sunil Gavaskar and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

A Response to Ben Duckett

Gill's milestone also serves as a fitting retort to England's Ben Duckett, who had previously mocked him for reaching 600 runs. During the second innings of the Lord's Test, Duckett made a comment suggesting Gill was finished for the series after his initial struggles. However, Gill transformed that criticism into motivation, ultimately achieving 700 runs in the Manchester Test.

"600 runs and he's done for this series. 600 runs is enough for this fella." - Ben Duckett

Chasing More Records

Gill's innings concluded at 103 runs off 238 balls, marking another significant achievement as he equaled the record for the most runs by a captain in a Test series against England, previously held by Gary Sobers. He is now just 11 runs shy of surpassing Sunil Gavaskar's record of 732 runs as an Indian captain in a Test series. With the final Test set to begin on July 31, Gill has the opportunity to break even more records, including Don Bradman's all-time record of 810 runs in a Test series.