Taking over the Test captaincy mantle with aplomb, Shubman Gill’s magnificent record-breaking Test double century against England at Edgbaston has received plaudits from across the cricketing world. The 25-year-old’s classic knock has even managed to inspire the next generation of Indian cricket, including the 14-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi who was in attendance on Day 2 of the Birmingham Test on Friday.
With India’s U19 stars, currently facing England U19 in a youth ODI series, in attendance, Gill stroked his way to his maiden Test double hundred and later converted it to a mammoth 269, the highest-ever score by an Indian captain, surpassing Virat Kohli. Gill’s masterclass has sparked dreams in the colts’ camp, with Suryavanshi claiming the Punjab batter to be a role model.
“I am feeling very good. This is my first Test in England and I am seeing how the game is going. I am feeling very good. We all came to watch the match. We got a lot of inspiration. Shubman Gill is a role model for us. Everyone’s dream is to play red-ball cricket for their country,” said Suryavanshi in a video released by BCCI.
The dashing southpaw who made the world sit up and take notice of his precocious six-hitting capabilities in the IPL 2025 season with the Rajasthan Royals has continued to send the bowlers on a leather hunt on his maiden tour to England. Suryavanshi, who struck the fastest century by an Indian in the history of the IPL in 35 balls, racked up his career-best youth ODI score earlier this week during the 3rd ODI against England U19.
Suryavanshi blazed his way to 86 runs in 31 balls, smashing the second-fastest fifty by an India U19 batter in 20 balls. Picking 78 of those runs in boundaries, Suryavanshi broke the record for most sixes in an innings by an Indian in youth ODIs, smashing nine sixes.
Former India batter VVS Laxman, the current head of BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE), facilitated the move for the India U19 players to watch action from the Edgbaston Test.
“VVS Laxman was instrumental in arranging this. He was the one who actually said that it would be a good thing to go and watch this game. It’s definitely a special occasion for any upcoming cricketer to be at a Test venue,” India U19 head coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar in a video posted by BCCI.
