Indian cricket sensation Shubman Gill’s recent record-breaking performances have led former England batsman Mark Ramprakash to suggest he is ready to join cricket’s elite ‘Fab Four’.
Gill’s Historic Edgbaston Performance
Shubman Gill has been in sensational form, especially highlighted by his recent Test match at Edgbaston. The 25-year-old amassed a staggering 430 runs across both innings, marking the second-highest aggregate ever in a Test match, just behind Graham Gooch’s 456 runs in 1990.
His impressive knock of 269 in the first innings also made him the Indian batsman with the highest score in England, surpassing Sunil Gavaskar’s long-standing record of 221 runs from 1979.
Gill’s dominance didn’t stop there. He became the first batsman in Test history to score both a double century and a 150 in the same match. Furthermore, he’s the first Indian captain to achieve a double century and a century in the same Test, and only the second player to hit three hundreds in his first two Tests as captain, a feat previously achieved by Virat Kohli.
The Next ‘Fab Four’ Star?
For a long time, the cricketing world has focused on the ‘Fab Four’ – Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson – as the benchmarks of Test batting excellence. Now, former England batsman Mark Ramprakash believes the search for their successors might be over.
In his column for The Guardian, Ramprakash lauded Gill, stating, “Shubman Gill has shown he can fill those boots and in a wonderfully orthodox style: he plays all formats and is brilliantly adaptable, but with a foundation of classic technique.”
Captaincy Fuels Performance
Taking on the captaincy can sometimes weigh a player down, but for Gill, it seems to have had the opposite effect. Ramprakash praised not just his skill, but also his incredible stamina and hunger for runs, especially as a leader.
He noted that captaincy appears to have sharpened Gill’s focus, as his three highest Test scores have all come in recent weeks. This suggests he thrives under the added responsibility.
Lessons from Smith and England’s Challenge
Ramprakash drew parallels between Gill’s current form and Steve Smith’s almost unplayable performances during the 2017-18 Ashes series. Smith had scored 687 runs in that series, including a double hundred and two unbeaten centuries, making him incredibly difficult to dismiss.
The former England batting coach highlighted the immense challenge Gill now poses to opposition bowlers. Given Gill’s familiarity with England’s bowling attack, Ramprakash believes the English team will need to devise entirely “fresh ways to challenge” the Indian captain to stop his formidable run-scoring.
- Shubman Gill’s 430 runs at Edgbaston is the second-highest Test aggregate ever.
- He broke Sunil Gavaskar’s record for the highest Indian score in England (269).
- Gill is the first Test batsman to score a double century and a 150 in the same match.
- Mark Ramprakash believes Gill can join the ranks of cricket’s ‘Fab Four’.
- Captaincy seems to have enhanced Gill’s focus and performance.
As Gill continues to break records and earn high praise, the cricketing world will be watching to see if he truly establishes himself as the next generational talent in Test cricket.
Indian cricket sensation Shubman Gill’s recent record-breaking performances have led former England batsman Mark Ramprakash to suggest he is ready to join cricket’s elite ‘Fab Four’.
Gill’s Historic Edgbaston Performance
Shubman Gill has been in sensational form, especially highlighted by his recent Test match at Edgbaston. The 25-year-old amassed a staggering 430 runs across both innings, marking the second-highest aggregate ever in a Test match, just behind Graham Gooch’s 456 runs in 1990.
His impressive knock of 269 in the first innings also made him the Indian batsman with the highest score in England, surpassing Sunil Gavaskar’s long-standing record of 221 runs from 1979.
Gill’s dominance didn’t stop there. He became the first batsman in Test history to score both a double century and a 150 in the same match. Furthermore, he’s the first Indian captain to achieve a double century and a century in the same Test, and only the second player to hit three hundreds in his first two Tests as captain, a feat previously achieved by Virat Kohli.
The Next ‘Fab Four’ Star?
For a long time, the cricketing world has focused on the ‘Fab Four’ – Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson – as the benchmarks of Test batting excellence. Now, former England batsman Mark Ramprakash believes the search for their successors might be over.
In his column for The Guardian, Ramprakash lauded Gill, stating, “Shubman Gill has shown he can fill those boots and in a wonderfully orthodox style: he plays all formats and is brilliantly adaptable, but with a foundation of classic technique.”
Captaincy Fuels Performance
Taking on the captaincy can sometimes weigh a player down, but for Gill, it seems to have had the opposite effect. Ramprakash praised not just his skill, but also his incredible stamina and hunger for runs, especially as a leader.
He noted that captaincy appears to have sharpened Gill’s focus, as his three highest Test scores have all come in recent weeks. This suggests he thrives under the added responsibility.
Lessons from Smith and England’s Challenge
Ramprakash drew parallels between Gill’s current form and Steve Smith’s almost unplayable performances during the 2017-18 Ashes series. Smith had scored 687 runs in that series, including a double hundred and two unbeaten centuries, making him incredibly difficult to dismiss.
The former England batting coach highlighted the immense challenge Gill now poses to opposition bowlers. Given Gill’s familiarity with England’s bowling attack, Ramprakash believes the English team will need to devise entirely “fresh ways to challenge” the Indian captain to stop his formidable run-scoring.
- Shubman Gill’s 430 runs at Edgbaston is the second-highest Test aggregate ever.
- He broke Sunil Gavaskar’s record for the highest Indian score in England (269).
- Gill is the first Test batsman to score a double century and a 150 in the same match.
- Mark Ramprakash believes Gill can join the ranks of cricket’s ‘Fab Four’.
- Captaincy seems to have enhanced Gill’s focus and performance.
As Gill continues to break records and earn high praise, the cricketing world will be watching to see if he truly establishes himself as the next generational talent in Test cricket.
