'Will Average 45...' ENG Legend Makes BOLD Gill Prediction After Record-Breaking Innings

Shubman Gill was the star of the show for India on the second day of the second Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham. He led by example and finished with a brilliant 269 as India piled up a score of 587. England ended on 77/3 as India gained the upper hand with three days left.

During the course of his 387-ball knock with 30 fours and three sixes, Gill broke several records, He now holds the highest Test score by an Indian in England, highest Test score by an Indian captain and is only the third Indian to score over 250 in a Test abroad. He had a good chance to make 300 but fell short. Nonetheless, his innings ensured India were in a strong position in a game they desperately want to win.

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One English legend has come up with a bold prediction. This man feels that by the time the series ends, Gill shall have a Test average of 45. Thanks to this 269, Gill right now averages 40.65.

The man we speak of is Michael Vaughan. Ahead of the series, Vaughan said that given Gill’s talent, his Test average should be above 35. In the wake of this knock, Vaughan who was doing commentary, said that Gill will average 45 by the end of the series.

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"At the start of the series, I said that his average of 35 in cricket, that's not high enough for his quality. I said by the end of his career he'll be averaging 45. I think probably by the end of this series he will be averaging 45. He's made a terrific start. He is the captain, second time out and he's now two from two. Magnificent," he said, according to an India Today report.

"It was a great toss for him to have lost, but I think as Sunny (Sunil Gavaskar) said, when you get really quality players, when they get on a good surface, and they know there's not a great deal of swing or seam, there's the odd ball that bounces. There's not a great deal of spin just yet. I think great players realise it, and his feet have been going great. His technique looks absolutely pure. And he just had the mindset to perform," he added.

Gill currently has 424 runs in three innings with scores of 147, right and 269. He averages 141.33 with as many as seven innings still left. Given this start, he could finish off with close to 1000 runs if not more in the series. England currently lead 1-0 and India have to fight back well to end an 18-year drought. The skipper is doing his part. One hopes the rest of the side responds.

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In the innings in question, Gill walked out to bat with the score on 95/2 when Karun Nair fell for 31. He added 66 with Yashasvi Jaiswal (87), 203 with Ravindra Jadeja (89) and 144 with Washington Sundar (42) to boost India’s innings. By the time he fell 31 short of what would have been a brilliant triple century, India were in a very comfortable position.

The game after this is at Lord’s and if India can go into that Test level at 1-1, England will feel the pressure. If somehow England make it 2-0 in Birmingham, India shall be really on the backfoot. India have lost their last two consecutive Test series. They will want this one to go differently.