Rohan Chowdhury, Edgbaston, Birmingham
As you step inside the main entrance of Edgbaston Cricket Ground, the atmosphere is unmistakably steeped in history, blended with modernity. To your left, nestled in the corner of the reception area, stands a magnificent wall—Edgbaston’s own Hall of Fame—divided under two poignant headers: “Our Bears” and “Where History is Made.”
On Thursday, July 3, a new chapter was added to that history. Indian Test captain Shubman Gill played the innings of a lifetime, scoring a breathtaking 269 against England, etching his name among the legends who have left an indelible mark at this iconic venue.
The first half of this commemorative wall celebrates The Bears—a tribute to the captains, men and women alike, of Warwickshire County Cricket Club, and also the club’s proud England internationals. It’s a homage to a legacy of leadership and excellence, deeply woven into the fabric of English county cricket.
Beside it, under “Where History is Made,” is where global cricketing feats are immortalised—plaques dedicated to international five-wicket hauls and centuries scored at Edgbaston, including rare double hundreds. It is a sacred space where only a select few have earned a place, and on Thursday, Gill staked his claim with flair and authority.
In its 143 years of hosting high-stakes cricket, Edgbaston has witnessed some of the sport’s most iconic performances. The double-century section is reserved for the game’s elite: Ian Botham, Geoffrey Boycott, Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, and others whose deeds resonate across generations, to Alastair Cook, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. But only eight of those entries have come from double tons—a measure of just how exclusive this feat is.
Gill, with his sublime 269 off 387 balls, not only became the ninth player to score a double hundred at Edgbaston, but also the first Indian to do so. His masterclass was a blend of poise, patience, and precision—an innings that dismantled the English attack and tilted the narrative of the Test. Fact check – with this knock, Gill became the third visiting captain to score 250 plus in England, behind Bob Simpson for Australia, at Old Trafford, back in 1964, and South Africa’s Graeme Smith, in 2003, once in Edgbaston and at Lord’s.
Here are the previous Edgbaston (Test) double-century milestones:
● 1957 – Peter May (285*) for England vs West Indies
● 1971 – Zaheer Abbas (274) for Pakistan vs England
● 1974 – David Lloyd (214*) for England vs India
● 1979 – David Gower (200*) for England vs India
● 1997 – Nasser Hussain (207) for England vs Australia
● 2003 – Graeme Smith (277) for South Africa vs England
● 2011 – Alastair Cook (294) for England vs India
● 2017 – Alastair Cook (243) for England vs West Indies
● 2025 – Shubman Gill (269) for India vs England * — soon to be added!
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Sir Alastair Cook’s 294 in 2011 remains the highest individual score in an international match, leaving aside Brian Lara’s incredible 501 for Warwickshire against Durham.
Each name on that wall reflects a moment in time when the player rose above the rest. And, now, Gill joins that timeless league, awaiting the day when his name is officially etched into Edgbaston’s wall of immortals.
Until then, his innings already lives in the hearts of those who witnessed it—an epic for the ages, worthy of the hallowed brick and mortar that records cricket’s grandest deeds.
If you were an Indian fan at Edgbaston on that Thursday, one day you’ll return, look up at that wall, and proudly say — ‘I was there when Shubman Gill scored that unforgettable 269.’
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