After his century at Headingley, where he scored 147 and rued not converting it into something bigger, Gill arrived in Birmingham with a mission. And he delivered in style, compiling the highest Test score ever by an Indian on English soil.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Batting in friendly conditions, Gill, who took over as India captain after Rohit Sharma retired from the format, combined discipline with elegance. His knock was built on minimum-risk strokes, as he caressed the ball into gaps and refused to offer England a single chance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
When he crossed 221, he went past Sunil Gavaskar\u2019s iconic innings at The Oval in 1979 \u2014 a knock remembered for nearly guiding India to an improbable chase of 438. Gavaskar\u2019s 221 stood as the benchmark for Indian batters in England for 46 years, until Gill\u2019s masterclass.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Gill\u2019s effort also surpassed Rahul Dravid\u2019s gritty 217 at The Oval in 2002. Dravid had anchored India\u2019s first innings in that series-deciding Test, helping secure a draw and sharing the series honours. Likewise, Gill\u2019s innings provided the backbone of India\u2019s massive first-innings total at Edgbaston, placing his team firmly in control.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
When he crossed 221, he went past Sunil Gavaskar\u2019s iconic innings at The Oval in 1979 \u2014 a knock remembered for nearly guiding India to an improbable chase of 438. Gavaskar\u2019s 221 stood as the benchmark for Indian batters in England for 46 years, until Gill\u2019s masterclass.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Meanwhile, Shubman Gill continued to dominate the proceedings by hitting an unbeaten 265\u2014going past 250 for the first time in Tests\u2014as England's bowlers toiled, with India reaching 564\/7 in 141 overs at tea on Day Two.<\/p>\r\n\r\n