India, July 27 -- Shubman Gill's century on the final day at Old Trafford was a masterclass in resilience and leadership under pressure. Coming into a game where India had been rocked early in their second innings, Gill's 103 ignited hope for a favourable result in Manchester; it also extended his series tally to 722 runs, the highest among any batter in the series and the second-highest by an Indian after Sunil Gavaskar (774) in Test history. Gill still has two innings left in the series.

His calm and composed innings, spanning nearly seven hours over two days, helped India claw back into contention after a shaky start. Partnering with KL Rahul (90), Gill constructed a vital stand that revived India's chances and turned what looked like...