Shubman Gill scored an unbeaten double-century as India A put up a brave fight in their second innings to draw the first unofficial Test against New Zealand A in Christchurch on Sunday.
Trailing the hosts’ mammoth first innings total of 562/7 by 219 runs at the start of the fourth and final day of the match at the Hagley Oval, India A finished the day with 448/3 as Gill (204 not out), Priyank Panchal (115) and skipper Hanuma Vihari (100 not out) starred with the bat.
In India A’s first innings, Gill was also the highest scorer with 83 runs out of his team’s total of 216.
Here’s how Twitterati reacted to Shubman Gill’s unbeaten double century:
A herculean effort by #ShubmanGill to score a double century. He is really knocking that Team India door now. Call-up soon?
Video thread of some of his strokes from the double ton #NZAvINDA #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/5dRpFOp0XG
— Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) February 2, 2020
#NZAvINDA Well played guy's….😁
Congratulations for 💯 and 💯💯
✌️
Hope Mayank Agrawal's form back in time….#shubmanGill #NZAvINDA #INDvsNZ pic.twitter.com/M6RKxaNshj— Norbu the cricketer (@norbu_777) February 2, 2020
Excellent double 💯 from Shubman Gill.
204 off 279 and still going on.
A good partnership (221 in 37 overs) with Vihari, who just scored his 💯 in 113 balls. #INDAvNZA #shubmangill
— Naren (@ImNaren26) February 2, 2020
Shubman Gill first-class stats:
Average – 71.32
Strike Rate – 73.50#NZAvINDA— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 2, 2020
Shubman Gill on the 1st unofficial Test:
1st innings: 83(83).
2nd innings – 204 ( 279).•His brilliance with the bat helped India A to draw the test match, outstanding form he's in. Panchal and Vihari also did well in 2nd innings with their hundreds.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 2, 2020
@RealShubmanGill you beauty! A double-hundred on the fourth day of a game ahead of the squad selection for the NZ series. Close your eyes and pick him. A real gem of a player who can be a backup opener as well as a middle-order player. #NZAvINDA
— Soorya Sesha (@sooryasesha7) February 2, 2020
What a plyr @RealShubmanGill 👏 double 💯 in NZ 👌ryt before the Test team selection 👍 Rohit, Mayank, (Shaw or Gill?) good headache 😊 Congrats to both @PKpanchal9 & @Hanumavihari for their 💯 👏👏👏👏 #NZAvINDA #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/msUqReRmDc
— LALAN PAIKARAY 🇮🇳 (@LalanPaikaray) February 2, 2020
https://twitter.com/KUNASAH43236826/status/1223844768603496448
The Punjab batter would be hoping for a Test call-up for the two-match Test series against India. Gill had made his ODI debut for India against New Zealand in 2019 but has since not featured for the Men in Blue across formats.
The BCCI is expected to announce the Indian squad for the two-match Test series against New Zealand soon. The series commences from February 21.
