India's star batter Shubman Gill silenced his critics with a stunning century on Day 3 of the second Test against England on February 4 in Visakhapatnam. Under pressure Shubman Gill raced to his century in just 132 balls, marking his third century in the longer format of the game. The star right-handed batter's century earned applause from the entire Indian dressing room and sent a clear message to his critics.
Prior to the second India versus England Test match, Shubman Gill had only managed to score 160 runs in his last ten Test innings, which had put his position in the red ball format in jeopardy. However, his recent century has not only secured his place in the red ball format but has also reaffirmed why he is hailed as the 'prince of Indian cricket.'
India's head coach Rahul Dravid and the entire Indian dug out gave standing ovation to India's batting sensation.
After completing his brilliant century, Shubman was dismissed by Shoaib Bashir, having scored 104 runs from 147 balls. Gill's innings included a total of 11 fours and 2 sixes.
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However, India didn't get off to a good start. While they were continuing from a score of 28/0, India faced a setback when both their openers, Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal, were dismissed for 13 and 17 runs, respectively, within the span of just two runs. Subsequently, Shubman Gill assumed responsibility and formed an 81-run partnership with Shreyas Iyer, who exhibited some impressive strokes and appeared settled. However, Iyer couldn't sustain his composure and was eventually dismissed after scoring 29 runs from 52 balls.
Rajat Patidar, too, had a brief stint at the crease but managed only nine runs before his departure. Despite wickets falling at the other end, Shubman Gill remained resolute, fully aware of the need to prove himself in front of the vast Indian audience, exceeding 1.2 billion. Gill, in partnership with Axar Patel, built an 89-run stand from 151 balls and eventually reached his century. By the time Gill was eventually dismissed, he had ensured that India's lead surpassed the 350-run mark, leaving them with a 354-run advantage.
The Indian team's next objective is to extend their lead to over 400, providing England with a challenging target in the second innings. Although the pitch has been favorable for batting for both teams, fast bowlers, rather than spinners, have dominated proceedings in Vizag. Nevertheless, it appears that Indian spinners may receive more assistance from the pitch on Day 4 and 5 as the cracks open up, causing the pitch to slow down.
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