Teenage cricketer Vaibhav Suryavanshi had a front-row seat to history as India captain Shubman Gill smashed a record-breaking double century in the second Test against England.
Suryavanshi spoke openly about his desire to wear the Indian whites one day after watching Gill play a majestic 269-run knock at Edgbaston.
Let's see what he had to say.
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Vaibhav Suryavanshi inspired by Shubman Gill’s double century
After witnessing Gill's special innings on Day 2 of the second Test in Birmingham, Suryavanshi spoke from the heart.
“I am feeling very good. This is my first Test in England and I am seeing how the game is going. I am feeling very good. We all came to watch the match. We got a lot of inspiration. Shubman Gill is a role model for us. Everyone's dream is to play red-ball cricket for their country,” said Suryavanshi.
The youngster's reaction was captured in a short video released by the BCCI on social media, where he praised the atmosphere and the experience of watching a Test live.
What Test records did Shubman Gill break at Edgbaston?
Shubman Gill was in unstoppable form during India’s first innings. The right-hander scored his first-ever double-century in Test cricket, finishing with 269 runs. His innings included 30 boundaries and three massive sixes.
Gill’s 269 is now the highest individual score by an Indian Test captain, surpassing Virat Kohli’s 254 against South Africa in 2019. His partnership with the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal (87) and Ravindra Jadeja (89) helped India post a mammoth total of 587 after being asked to bat first by England.
What has Vaibhav Suryavanshi done recently in U-19 cricket?
Suryavanshi himself was in red-hot form for the India Under-19 side. In the third Youth ODI against England in Northampton, he blasted a 20-ball half-century, the second-fastest by an Indian in U-19 ODIs.
He went on to score 86 runs off just 31 balls, guiding India to a chase of 269 in just 34.3 overs. His blitz gave India a 2-1 lead in the series.
In the first ODI, he had also impressed with a quickfire 48 off 18 balls, hitting five sixes and three fours to set up an easy win.