Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar heaped praise on Shubman Gill for his composed and century on Day 1 of the Headingley Test against England.
On his Test captaincy debut, Gill showcased both poise and authority to guide India to a dominant position. He remained unbeaten on 127 at the close of play.
Speaking on Sony Sports, Gavaskar underscored the 25-year-old’s development as a batter and leader, calling his innings a reflection of how far he has come since his early days.
"He’s (Shubman Gill) looking absolutely gorgeous at the crease. That shot early on in his innings—playing straight down the ground—is not an easy one to execute. It showed just how well he was seeing the ball: the speed, the timing, the control—everything was spot on," Gavaskar said.
"We’ve seen him grow up in front of the camera—from the U-19 World Cup days to now anchoring a Test innings. Every time he walks out now, you can see how much more solid and mature he looks. Early on, he had a bit of a weakness around the off stump, often playing across the line and getting caught out. But now, he’s much more assured," he added.
After a 91-run opening stand, India suffered a mini-collapse. KL Rahul fell for 42 to Brydon Carse, followed by debutant Sai Sudharsan departing for a duck to Ben Stokes. Suddenly at 92/2, the momentum had shifted slightly, but Gill’s arrival helped settle nerves.
Taking over at No.4 following Virat Kohli’s retirement, Shubman added 129 runs for the third wicket with Yashasvi Jaiswal (101) to put India in a commanding position.
Following Jaiswal’s dismissal for 101, Gill took on the mantle of guiding the innings alongside Rishabh Pant (65*), propelling the visitors to 359/3 at stumps.
One moment that stood out was Gill’s gesture after reaching his century—a small bow towards the Indian dressing room.
Gavaskar was impressed with the gesture as he said, “That little bow to the dressing room was a nice touch. It means so much, because those are the people you train with, run between the wickets with, and who’ve been part of your preparation. It was a gesture of appreciation—'thank you, guys, I wouldn't have reached here without you."
