"This is the beginning of him...": Shubman Gill's childhood coach on his heroic 200 against England

Mohali (Punjab) [India], July 4 (ANI): Sukhwinder Tinkku, childhood coach of Indian test skipper Shubman Gill, praised him for his superb double hundred in the second test against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

He said Gill's performance was not a surprise for him and felt this is just the beginning of him; he will make more records.

While speaking to ANI Sukhwinder Tinkku said, "Shubman Gill's performance is not a surprise for me. I have been watching him since childhood, and the improvement he shows in the game, and the way his mind works in the game. This is the beginning of him; he will make more records... I saw this potential in him that he will become a big player."

The Cricket fraternity was left enchanted by India Test captain Gill's sizzling double hundred on Day 2 of the second Test against England in Birmingham.

After returning unbeaten on 114 after the end of the opening day's play, Gill continued to thrive on Edgbaston's benign surface with flamboyant strokeplay to torment England's bowling unit, bereft of its decorated quicks James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

By pulling the ball away for a single off Josh Tongue, Gill animatedly celebrated his maiden double century.

Gill became the first-ever Indian captain to reach the double ton against England in England, surpassing former skipper Mohammad Azharuddin's 179-run effort at Old Trafford in 1990.

The 25-year-old strokeplayer also became the first Asian captain with a double century in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia (SENA), the previous best score being 193 by Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan at Lord's in 2011.

With a flurry of boundaries after the milestone, he leapfrogged past legendary Sunil Gavaskar's 221 at The Oval in 1979 to have the highest-ever individual score by an Indian in England.

He is only the sixth Indian to score a 250-plus score in Tests, joining the elite company of Virender Sehwag, who did it four times, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Karun Nair and Virat Kohli.

Gill is the first Indian to do so outside of the Indian subcontinent; the previous best was Sachin's masterclass of 241* against Australia at Sydney in 2004.

He joined Rahul Dravid (217 at The Oval in 2002) and Sunil Gavaskar (221 at The Oval in 1979) to become the third player to score a double ton for India in England against England in Tests.

Gill also surpassed Kohli's 254* against South Africa in 2019 to have the highest score ever by an Indian captain.

Gill also became the third Indian captain with a 150-plus Test score before turning 26, after Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi (twice) and Sachin Tendulkar. (ANI)

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