India Test skipper Shubman Gill has named Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham as his favourite ground in England. In his debut series as Test captain, he led India to a 2-2 draw in the five-match 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England.
Gill finished the series as the leading run-scorer, amassing 754 runs in 10 innings at an average of 75.40, including four centuries. In a video released by Apple Music on their YouTube channel on Thursday, September 11, Gill was asked about his favourite ground in England. He answered the question while also making a reference to the popular British drama ‘Peaky Blinders,’ saying:
“I would say Birmingham now because my highest Test score is there. So, Birmingham, my all-time favorite uh TV show is Peaky Blinders. So, Birmingham.”
In the Birmingham Test, Gill scored 269 in the first innings, his highest in Test cricket, and followed it up with 161 in the second innings. India won the match by 336 runs. Reflecting on the memorable game, he said:
“When I was in that moment, I felt I was so locked in that I didn't realize it, only after we finished the match. And because it was our first time that we won on that ground, India had never won in Birmingham before that. So prior to that match, we had a press conference and a journalist asked me, what chances do you give yourself going into this match because India’s never won on this ground. To be able to tell him before the match, 'That doesn't matter, it's my first time here, so let's see how it goes.' That's how it went. So, it felt pretty amazing.”
Shubman Gill has played 37 Tests, scoring 2,647 runs at an average of 41.35, including seven fifties and nine centuries.
“He was my dad's favorite” - Shubman Gill talks about his cricketing inspirations
In the same conversation, Shubman Gill also named former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and veteran batter Virat Kohli as his idols. The 26-year-old said:
“I have had two idols. The first one was Sachin. He was my dad's favorite, and I got into cricket because of him. He retired in 2013. Around 2011, 2012, 2013 was actually when I started to have real knowledge about cricket: like how the game works, more than just skill, like mental and tactical.”
“I loved watching Virat bhai, Virat Kohli, how he used to go about his business and just the sheer passion that he had for the game and the real hunger. Because passion and hunger is one thing; you can learn all the skills, all the technique, and all of that, but hunger is something that you can't learn. Either you have it in you, or you don’t. And it was something that he had so much, and it really inspired me,” he added.
Shubman Gill will next be seen in action when India faces Pakistan in their Asia Cup 2025 clash on Sunday, September 14.
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