Shubman Gill Slams Home-Ground Century Against Afghanistan, Crosses 1,000 Test Runs as India Captain

New Chandigarh, June 6: Shubman Gill's extraordinary run in Test cricket continued as the India captain struck a magnificent unbeaten century against Afghanistan on the opening day of the one-off Test at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Saturday (June 5).

Playing at his home ground in Punjab, Gill produced an innings of supreme control and authority, reaching his hundred in 138 deliveries and remaining unbeaten at stumps as India ended the day in a commanding position on 368/3 after 90 overs.

The right-hander brought up his century in the 83rd over when he tucked Saleem Safi behind square leg for a single. As the crowd rose to its feet, Gill removed his helmet, raised his bat and acknowledged the applause from spectators, teammates and the dressing room.

The hundred was Gill's 11th in Test cricket and his sixth as India's Test captain, further underlining the transformation he has undergone since taking over the leadership role.

Home Crowd Witnesses Special Knock

From the moment he arrived at the crease, the Punjab batter looked completely at ease on a surface that offered good batting conditions. He mixed patience with positive strokeplay, punishing loose deliveries while showing the discipline required in the longest format.

Unlike several of his more aggressive innings in recent years, this knock was built on a solid foundation. Gill rarely looked troubled by Afghanistan's attack and steadily accumulated runs through the day before accelerating towards the three-figure mark.

His hundred came off 138 balls and included 11 boundaries and a six, highlighting the balance between attack and control that has become a hallmark of his batting.

The century also carried added significance because it came during a period where Gill has emerged as the undisputed leader of India's batting unit.

Gill Reaches 1,000 Runs as Test Captain

The landmark knock helped Gill cross 1,000 Test runs as India's captain, a milestone he has reached at a staggering average of 84.00.

While he still has a long journey ahead before challenging the overall aggregates of Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni, his average as captain already stands above every Indian skipper who has scored at least 1,000 runs in the format.

Most Test Runs As Indian Captains

What makes Gill's rise even more impressive is the speed with which he is accumulating centuries as captain.

Rapidly Climbing India's Captaincy Centurions List

Gill's hundred against Afghanistan was his sixth Test century as captain, taking him into elite company among India's most successful leaders with the bat.

The statistic becomes even more remarkable when viewed in context. Gill has reached six hundreds in just 15 innings as captain, requiring significantly fewer opportunities than most of the names above him on the list.

Leadership appears to have elevated rather than burdened the 26-year-old, whose batting has reached another level since assuming responsibility for the Test side.

Pant Provides Perfect Support

While Gill dominated the headlines, Rishabh Pant's contribution ensured India finished the opening day firmly in control.

The wicketkeeper-batter brought up his half-century in the final over before stumps, but unlike many of his trademark explosive knocks, this innings was built on restraint and maturity.

Pant reached the milestone when he guided Saleem Safi towards third man for a single. The left-hander raised his bat and acknowledged the applause from teammates after completing a half-century that was characterised by patience and intelligent shot selection.

It was a knock that perfectly complemented Gill's innings. The pair ensured Afghanistan were unable to make further breakthroughs during the final session and steadily tightened India's grip on the contest.

The final over of the day summed up India's dominance. Pant completed his fifty before Gill retained the strike and then nudged Safi into the leg side for a single, bringing an end to an excellent day for the hosts.

Gill's Golden Run Continues

The Afghanistan hundred is merely the latest entry in an increasingly impressive sequence of performances from India's captain.

Since the start of 2025, Gill has produced some of the finest innings of his career. His 147 at Leeds, followed by a monumental 269 and 161 in Birmingham against England, established him as one of the world's premier Test batters. He later added another century at Manchester before scoring an unbeaten 129 against West Indies in Delhi.

Those performances have transformed his overall Test record. In 41 Tests, Gill has now accumulated 2,943 runs at an average of 44.59, including 11 centuries and eight fifties. More importantly, he has begun converting starts into match-defining scores with increasing regularity.

From his debut tour of Australia in 2020-21, where he played a crucial role in India's historic Gabba triumph, to becoming India's Test captain and batting leader, Gill's journey has been one of constant progression.

Saturday's century felt like another step in that evolution. Performing in front of a home crowd, leading the national side and guiding India into a commanding position against Afghanistan, Gill once again demonstrated why he is regarded as the cornerstone of India's Test future.

With two days of batting still potentially available and Afghanistan already under pressure, India will now look to build on their strong platform. At the centre of those ambitions stands their captain, unbeaten on 100 and showing no signs of slowing down.