Follow UsAfter smashing many records in his first Test series as captain, Shubman Gill added another milestone to his name in his debut innings as skipper on home soil. The landmark came on day two of the opening Test against West Indies in Ahmedabad on October 3 (Friday).
Gill entered the series riding high on the back of a sensational tour of England, where he piled up 754 runs in five Tests at an average of 75.40, including four centuries. His Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE was underwhelming, but the moment the red ball returned, so did his command at the crease.
The Indian captain scored 50 off exactly 100 balls and, in doing so, became the first India skipper in almost 47 years to reach a half-century in his maiden home innings as captain. The last to do it was Sunil Gavaskar, who struck 205 against West Indies at the Wankhede in 1978.
Indian captains to score 50+ in their first innings as skipper at home in Tests
Lala Amarnath (62) vs WI, Delhi, 1948
Vijay Hazare (164*) vs ENG, Delhi, 1951
Hemu Adhikari (63) vs WI, Delhi, 1959
Nari Contractor (62) vs PAK, Mumbai, 1960
Sunil Gavaskar (205) vs WI, Mumbai, 1978
Shubman Gill (50) vs WI, Ahmedabad, 2025
However, as was the case on multiple occasions in England, Gill couldn’t carry the knock forward. He fell to a reverse sweep, caught at first slip off West Indies captain Roston Chase. It’s now the second time Gill has been dismissed playing that stroke against a spinner.
Till that moment, Gill had looked secure and composed, batting with a control percentage of over 95 percent. He appeared set for a big one before the rash shot ended his stay.
India had already taken the lead in the first innings and will look to stretch it as much as possible to avoid batting again in the fourth innings.