Shubman Gill’s dream run as India’s Test captain continues to shine brighter with every match. Leading from the front once again, the stylish right-hander struck a magnificent century against the West Indies on Day 2 of the second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday.
Gill’s Red-Hot Form As Captain
Since taking over the reins from Rohit Sharma, Gill has been in phenomenal touch with the bat. His latest hundred marks his fifth Test century since becoming India’s skipper, underlining his seamless transition into leadership while maintaining a rich vein of form.
Joins Kohli In Elite Captaincy Record
With this ton, Gill equalled Virat Kohli’s record for the most Test centuries by an Indian captain in a calendar year, five. Kohli had achieved the feat twice, in 2017 and 2018. Impressively, Gill reached this milestone in just 12 innings, ranking him behind only Alastair Cook (9 innings) and Sunil Gavaskar (10 innings) in achieving five centuries as captain.
In terms of matches, Gill took seven Tests to reach the mark, the same as the legendary Don Bradman, while Cook (five Tests) and Gavaskar (six) reached it quicker. His average as skipper now stands at a remarkable 84.81, second only to Bradman’s iconic 101.51 among captains who have led their sides at least seven times.
A Record-Breaking Knock For The Ages
India declared their innings at 518/5, with Gill remaining unbeaten on 129 off 196 balls. His innings was a masterclass in composure and precision, as he further cemented his place as one of India’s most prolific Test batters in recent years.
The century also saw Gill become India’s highest run-scorer in the World Test Championship (WTC), amassing 2,826 runs in 39 matches at an average of 43.47 and a strike rate of 61.36. His tally includes 10 centuries, the most by an Indian in WTC history, a testament to his growing dominance in red-ball cricket.
West Indies Bowlers Endure A Tough Outing
The West Indies pacers endured a gruelling time on the field, going 318 deliveries without a wicket during India’s marathon innings. This was only the third instance in history where Windies fast bowlers went wicketless despite bowling 300 or more balls in a Test innings. The previous occasions were against New Zealand in 1972 (540 balls) and Pakistan in 2016 (432 balls).