Gill matches Gavaskar, Hazare, Azhar with historic hundreds

United News of India

13 hours ago

Birmingham, July 2 (UNI) Shubman Gill has carved a special place in Indian cricket history by becoming only the third Indian captain to score centuries in consecutive Test matches against England, joining the legendary Vijay Hazare and Mohammad Azharuddin in this rare feat.
Gill's latest hundred came in the second Test of the ongoing series, where he brought up his milestone with a powerful sweep shot for four off Joe Root. The young captain erupted in celebration- a loud roar, a raised helmet, a bow to the spectators, and a kiss to his bat- capturing the emotion of the moment and the significance of the achievement.
It was his seventh Test century and his second in as many matches of the series, reinforcing his growing stature as a reliable leader and batsman.
His performances have evoked memories of Hazare's back-to-back tons in Delhi and at Brabourne in 1951–52, and Azharuddin's memorable centuries at Lord's and Old Trafford in 1990. Gill's back-to-back hundreds come in challenging English conditions, making his achievement even more impressive and meaningful.
Gill has also joined the elite list of Indian batsmen who have scored centuries in three consecutive Tests against England, a group that features Mohammad Azharuddin, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Rahul Dravid. The latest century further strengthens Gill's position as one of the most consistent performers in the current Indian Test setup.
In addition to this historic feat, Gill becomes only the fourth Indian to score centuries in his first two Tests as captain. He follows in the footsteps of Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar, and Virat Kohli- the latter having scored three hundreds in his first two Tests as skipper. The landmark highlights Gill's seamless transition into leadership and the promise he holds for the future of Indian cricket.
With these performances, Gill is not just scoring runs- he is leading by example. His composed batting under pressure and expressive celebrations have added energy to the Indian side. As India aims to assert dominance in the remainder of the series, their young captain's form and fearlessness may well become the defining story of the summer.
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