"269 checked out, 269 checked in" - Aakash Chopra lauds Shubman Gill's double century in ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test

Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded Shubman Gill for scoring a record-breaking double century in the second Test against England. He pointed out that Gill was dismissed for 269, which was Virat Kohli's Test cap number.

Gill scored 269 runs off 387 deliveries as India posted a mammoth 587 in their first innings in Birmingham. England ended Day 2 (Thursday, July 3) at 77/3 in their first innings, trailing the visitors by 510 runs.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener noted that it was poetic that Gill's final score was the same as Kohli's Test cap number.

"269 checked out, 269 checked in. The king went, the prince came, and the prince created a king-like atmosphere. The captain stood tall. The new era that Shubman Gill had to start, he did it himself with his bat and talent. He scored a century in the first match at Headingley. That was special, of course, but to double it up and go beyond 250, he has placed India in a commanding position," Chopra said (0:01).

"The records just kept tumbling down - highest score by an Indian outside Asia, highest score by an Indian captain, and it's slightly poetic as well. 269 was Virat Kohli's number. He checked out, and our man has checked in by scoring 269 runs. He has established himself at No. 4," he added.

Shubman Gill broke Virat Kohli's record of the highest Test score by an Indian captain. Kohli had scored an unbeaten 254 against South Africa in Pune in 2019.

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"You have to earn respect, you can't buy or demand it" - Aakash Chopra on Shubman Gill leading by example and leading from the front

Shubman Gill struck 30 fours and three sixes during his 269-run knock. [P.C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Shubman Gill showcased the attributes of a leader.

"It's a cliche to say 'lead by example' and 'lead from the front.' These two things repeatedly resonate in your ears when you talk about leadership. It may sound cliche, but it is the truth. If you perform as a captain, two things happen. One, you start commanding that respect automatically. You have to earn respect, you can't buy or demand it," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Gill's knock would earn him the respect of the dressing room.

"The only way you can earn respect is by scoring runs or picking up wickets. If that happens, the dressing room automatically becomes a safe haven for you, where you are the king for the time being, because it's not that the next one won't come because you are there, but the mutual respect grows manifold," Chopra observed.

Chopra added that the recently appointed Indian Test captain walked the talk, much like Rohit Sharma.

"The best thing is 'don't do as I say, do as I do.' If you talk about Rohit Sharma, he said we would play an aggressive brand of cricket. Saying is one thing, but everyone followed when he started doing it. Similarly, Shubman Gill might have said before this tour that if we bat well, we should bat big and outbat the opposition. He has set a massive example," he elaborated.

Shubman Gill and Ravindra Jadeja (89 off 137) stitched together a 203-run sixth-wicket partnership after India were reduced to 211/5. The Indian captain then added 144 runs for the seventh wicket with Washington Sundar (42 off 103) to ensure that his side posts a massive total.