“269 checked out, 269 checked in” - Aakash Chopra hails Shubman Gill for his Edgbaston knock

Former Indian cricketer and analyst Aakash Chopra has heaped praise on the Indian Test captain Shubman Gill after he smacked his career-best score of 269 against England in the ongoing Birmingham Test.

Interestingly, Gill, who scored 269 runs, also turned out to be Virat Kohli’s Test cap number. Poetically, Chopra stated that while 269 checked out, another 269 checked in to the Indian Test team, hailing the Indian skipper’s heroics.

Furthermore, Chopra added that with the Kohli and Rohit era coming to an end in Tests, Gill has started his era with his own willow and talent. He reckoned that Gill’s 269-run knock has put India in a commanding position.

"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 on his YouTube channel.

With his exceptional knock, Gill went on to create multiple Indian records. Notably, he emerged as the second youngest Indian batter after Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi to hit a Test double ton and also turned out to be the first Asian captain to score a double century in SENA countries.

"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.

"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 concluded.

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