India’s captain Shubman Gill is close to breaking several world records once held by the great Sir Donald Bradman, some of which are nearly 100 years old. So far, Gill has scored 585 runs in just the first two Tests of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England, putting him on track for a historic performance.
In the second Test at Edgbaston, Gill made a total of 430 runs — 269 in the first innings and 161 in the second. During this match, he set multiple records: he passed Virat Kohli’s mark for the most runs by an Indian captain in a single innings, broke Sunil Gavaskar’s record for the most runs by an Indian in a Test match, became the first Asian captain to hit a double century in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia), and became the first player ever to score both a double century and a 150 in the same Test match.
With three matches still left in the five-Test series, Gill is just 225 runs away from passing Don Bradman’s total of 810 runs as captain in the 1936–37 Ashes. Interestingly, both Bradman and Gill are achieving these milestones during their first series as Test captains.
Bradman scored three centuries and averaged 90 across all five Tests in that series. Gill has already hit three centuries—but in only two matches. Another record in sight is Bradman’s 974 runs from the 1930 Ashes, the most runs scored in a single Test series. Gill is currently 390 runs behind that mark. What’s more impressive is that Gill’s 585 runs from the first two Tests are well ahead of Bradman’s 394 runs in the first two matches of that legendary 1930 series.
Bradman holds the record for the fastest to reach 1,000 Test runs as captain, doing it in just 11 innings. For Shubman Gill to break that record, he needs to score 415 runs in his next six innings. Gill is also chasing a big milestone set by West Indies legend Clyde Walcott, who hit five centuries in one series against Australia in 1955 — something no one else has done. Bradman had scored four centuries in a series against India in 1947–48. Gill already has three centuries in this series, so he needs two more to match Bradman and three to equal Walcott.
Gill is also close to breaking some Indian records. He needs 148 more runs to beat Sunil Gavaskar’s total of 732 runs — the most by an Indian captain in a Test series (1978–79). He is just 18 runs away from passing Rahul Dravid’s 602 runs, which is the most by an Indian in a Test series in England. Gill also needs 127 more runs to break Yashasvi Jaiswal’s record of 712 runs — the most by an Indian against England in any Test series. Lastly, Gill is just 91 runs behind Virat Kohli’s 655-run record as Indian captain against England.
FAQ
What records is Shubman Gill close to breaking?
Gill is nearing several major milestones, including fastest to 1,000 Test runs as captain, and most runs by an Indian captain in a Test series.
How close is Gill to breaking Don Bradman’s record?
Bradman reached 1,000 Test runs as captain in just 11 innings. Gill needs 415 runs in his next six innings to surpass that mark.
What is the record set by Clyde Walcott that Gill is chasing?
Walcott scored five centuries in a single Test series against Australia in 1955. Gill currently has three and needs two more to match Bradman (4) and three to equal Walcott.
Why is this performance significant for Gill?
It highlights his rise as a top performer and leader for India in Test cricket, potentially putting him alongside all-time greats like Bradman, Gavaskar, and Kohli.
