Is 269 the Perfect Tribute from Shubman Gill to Virat Kohli?
After the retirement of India's greatest Test captain, Virat Kohli, the new captain, Shubman Gill, seems to have paid the perfect tribute to him. Taking up the captaincy in the India tour of England, Gill is now ready to roar, as he even scored a double century at Edgbaston.
Virat Kohli has been one of the legendary stars of the Indian cricket team, especially in the Test format, being known as the greatest in the current generation. But after his retirement in May, fans thought it might not be easy for the Indian team to fill the number 4 spot being held by him for a long time.
However, the newly announced captain, Shubman Gill, had some different plans, as the Prince is now ready to roar even more. In the second Test match between India and England at Edgbaston, Shubman Gill scored 269 runs in the first innings, breaking various records. This is the highest score by an Indian captain in England, and even the highest by any Indian.
It is not just about the mammoth innings being played by Gill, as this innings also helped him to pay tribute to Kohli and his Test legacy. Virat Kohli’s Test cap was number 269, and even in his retirement post, Kohli wrote #269, signing off. With Gill playing an innings in Edgbaston where he also scored 269, it seems to be the best tribute from the Prince to the King.
Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli have always shared a brotherly bond both on the field and off the field. Along with that, Gill has always admired him, which helped him to play such a mammoth innings in England as a captain, giving a glimpse of his era. Let’s take a look at how Shubman Gill is likely to be the next Virat Kohli for the Indian cricket team.
Consistency in 138 Innings
With the India tour of England going on, Shubman Gill has also completed 138 innings in the international format, across all three forms of the game combined. Although he didn’t receive many opportunities in the T20I, he has taken the chances given to him in Tests and ODIs to become a remarkable player.
| Stat | Shubman Gill | Virat Kohli |
|---|---|---|
| Matches | 110 | 132 |
| Innings | 138 | 138 |
| Runs | 5515 | 5503 |
| High Score | 208 | 183 |
| Average | 45.20 | 45.47 |
| Strike Rate | 80.86 | 77.60 |
| 100s / 50s | 16 / 25 | 16 / 31 |
In the 138 innings played by the new Indian captain, he has scored 5515 runs at an average of 45.20, with 16 centuries and 25 half-centuries. These are not just the numbers of Shubman Gill, as they also match the scores of Virat Kohli after he had completed his 138 innings in the international format.
After 138 innings, Kohli has scored 5503 runs at an average of 45.47 and also scored 16 centuries and 31 half-centuries. It can be noted that Gill and Virat Kohli have identical numbers, showcasing how fast Shubman Gill is looking forward to taking a crucial place in the team’s batting line-up. Although Kohli has a better average than Gill in 138 innings, the latter holds a higher strike rate.
Gill’s scoring rate showcases his adaptability to modern cricket, where batsmen are more keen to score boundaries even in the Test format. Along with that, both Gill and Kohli had scored 16 centuries in the international format after 138 innings, highlighting their consistent performances for the Indian team.
Virat Kohli holds more half-centuries than Shubman Gill in 138 innings, scoring 31 while Gill only has 25. This highlights the technique of Kohli to convert his starts to some great milestones and hold one end of the crease for the team. In terms of their highest score after 138 innings, Gill leads with 208, while Kohli has scored 183.
It should also be noted that the high scores of both players in their first 138 innings came in the ODI format, showcasing their adaptability to the game even at such a young age. This adaptability helped Virat Kohli to even dominate across the strongest bowling attacks from 2010-2015.
When Virat Kohli took up the captaincy of the Indian cricket team, his average and performances in the Test format increased at a rapid pace. And the same is now also taking place with Shubman Gill, making him a quiet successor of Virat Kohli. Gill is not just like the other youngsters, focusing more on aggressive shots, as he channels his aggression and discipline.
After Kohli had completed his 138 innings, he went on to a rise in his career, finishing in the Test and T20I formats as the greatest in the current generation for the Indian team. And now, fans also hope that the same will also take place for their new captain, Shubman Gill, as he is walking a path similar to Virat Kohli.
Kohli-Like Stats for Gill
Upon Shubman Gill taking the helm as the captain of the Indian cricket team in the Test format, fans got to see various similarities between him and King Kohli. Recently, his double century against England at Edgbaston reminded fans of the 254 runs Virat Kohli scored against England in 2019.
Not only this, Virat Kohli, after taking the captaincy of the Indian cricket team, smashed a century in his captaincy debut match against Australia. When Shubman Gill played his first match as the Test captain of the Indian cricket team, he also went on to score a century against England at Headingley.
In the 2014 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Virat Kohli smashed two centuries in consecutive Tests after taking up the team’s captaincy. The same also happened with Shubman Gill, as he scored a century in the first Test, which was followed by a massive double century in the second Test at Edgbaston.
Another fact which should be noted, which turned out to be unfortunately similar for both Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill, was that despite scoring centuries, it went for a losing cause for the team in the first Test match. As a captain. Upon his captaincy debut, Virat Kohli also completed his 2000 Test runs, and the same also took place for Shubman Gill.
These stats also prove that Shubman Gill has been destined to become the next Virat Kohli for the Indian cricket team. As he leads the team in the current World Test Championship cycle, the team’s transition phase has made things a bit challenging for him. But Captain Gill is ready to take up all the challenges and come out on top.
Presence Like a Leader
Various fans also say that the presence of Shubman Gill on the field as the team’s captain is similar to that of Virat Kohli when he led the team in this format. This definitely can’t be denied, as Virat Kohli also roared after he scored a century in England in the 2018 series, as Shubman Gill also did a similar celebration after he scored a century in the Tests against England.
Under his captaincy, Virat Kohli redefined the attitude of the Indian cricket team, bringing in an intense and aggressive mindset. And this is very similar to Shubman Gill, as he was also seen interacting with the bowlers and other senior players to ensure that the team is able to build up more pressure on the opponent batsmen.
In various interviews, Shubman Gill also talked about the necessity of taking 20 wickets in the Test format, as they are very important to win games. Virat Kohli also adopted a similar mindset under his captaincy, which played a significant role in keeping India at the top of the ICC Test rankings for several years.
Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill both started their captaincy journey at a young age, and it took place in the Indian Premier League. This has helped both the Indian stars to dominate the game and even make impactful decisions, which came out in favor of the team. Although Shubman Gill is new to leading the Indian side, fans have already seen his intent as a captain.
Both Gill and Kohli could also lead the team from the front, scoring centuries even when the team was losing consecutive wickets. This also shows that both captains were able to lead the team from the front, which helped Kohli to put the team at the top of the standings for numerous years and dominate both at home and overseas.
For Shubman Gill, the dominance of Team India in the Test format remains a question, as his captaincy era has just started. However, with the intent being shown to him, it is clear that Gill is not just here to play; he is here to lead the Indian team to win and even take them through this transition phase without any issues.
In conclusion, Gill’s on-field presence – filled with confidence, focus, and responsibility – mirrors the impact Kohli had as a Test captain. Their shared values of fitness, aggression in approach, and leading by example ensure that Indian cricket remains in strong hands. If Gill continues to grow with this mindset, he will not just be the successor to Kohli’s batting legacy but also his inspirational leadership in the longest format of the game.
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