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Indian batsman Shubman Gill, putting an end to his recent run-drought, showcased an outstanding performance by scoring his third Test century against England at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.
Gill achieved the three-figure milestone on Day 3 of the 2nd Test, significantly contributing to India's commanding second-inning lead. With the visitors bowled out for 253, India now enjoys a lead of over 300 runs.
During his innings, Gill also formed a crucial 50+ partnership with Axar Patel.
A Counter-Attacking Ton from Gill
Gill took charge at the crease after James Anderson dismissed Indian skipper Rohit Sharma early on Day 3. Despite the quick dismissals of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer, and Rajat Patidar, Gill continued to counter-attack and reached his century post lunch, achieving the milestone off just 132 balls.
Breaking the Shackles
This century marked the end of Gill's poor run in Tests. The right-hander had struggled to surpass the 50-run mark in whites since his 128 against Australia in the Ahmedabad Test last year. Scores of 13, 18, 6, 10, 29, 2, 26, 36, 10, 23, 0, and 34 characterized his performances during this period, including Tests in West Indies and South Africa.
Three Tons in Test Cricket
With this century, Gill now boasts three Test centuries, with two of them coming in home conditions. His sole Test century away from home was achieved in Bangladesh during the 2022 series.
Gill's 104 off 147 Balls
Gill's innings concluded shortly after reaching the century mark, dismissed by Shoaib Bashir as skipper Ben Stokes employed attacking fields. The right-handed batter accumulated 104 runs off 147 balls, a remarkable innings featuring 11 fours and 2 sixes.
Impressive Stats
During this innings, Gill surpassed 1,200 runs in Test cricket, amassing a total of 1,201 runs from 22 Tests at an average of 32.45. His tally includes three centuries and four half-centuries. Additionally, he completed 300 runs against England in Test cricket and reached the milestone of 500 Test runs in home conditions (578 runs at 36.12).
Tons in International Cricket Before Turning 25
With this century, Gill now has 10 centuries in international cricket, including six in ODIs and one in T20Is. According to Bharath Seervi, Gill becomes the third Indian to achieve 10+ centuries across formats before turning 25, joining the ranks of Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.
