Shubman Gill 11 runs away from breaking Gavaskar's 47-year-old record, 89 runs short of Don Bradman's world record
Shubman Gill, Indian captain, is on the verge of breaking legendary records held by Sunil Gavaskar and Sir Donald Bradman in the Test series against England.
Indian captain Shubman Gill stands on the threshold of rewriting Test cricket history as he inches closer to surpassing two of the most iconic batting records in the game—those held by Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar and Australian great Sir Donald Bradman.
The 25-year-old opener has been in scintillating form throughout the ongoing five-Test series against England and will enter the series finale at The Oval on July 31, needing just 11 runs to surpass Gavaskar's record of most runs (732) by an Indian captain in a Test series (1978-79 vs West Indies).
Gill is also 53 runs short of breaking Gavaskar’s 54-year-old record for the most runs by an Indian batter in a bilateral Test series.
Gavaskar’s benchmark of 774 runs came during his debut series in 1971 against the West Indies, a landmark performance that included four centuries and three fifties in just four Tests at an extraordinary average of 154.80. His highest score in that series was 220.
Gill, leading India for the first time, has already amassed 722 runs in eight innings at an imposing average of 90.25. His stunning series tally includes four centuries—highlighted by a marathon 269-run knock—and a crucial 103 in the second innings of the drawn fourth Test at Old Trafford, which helped India recover from a 311-run first-innings deficit to gain a 114-run lead and keep the series alive.
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India trail 1-2 in the five-match series, making the Oval Test not only a chance for personal milestones but also a golden opportunity to draw the series—a feat they last achieved in England in 2007.
Shubman Gill 89 runs short of Bradman's world record
{{/usCountry}}India trail 1-2 in the five-match series, making the Oval Test not only a chance for personal milestones but also a golden opportunity to draw the series—a feat they last achieved in England in 2007.
Shubman Gill 89 runs short of Bradman's world record
{{/usCountry}}What adds greater weight to Gill’s remarkable run is the potential to eclipse another towering figure of cricket history. The young skipper is also within striking distance—just 89 runs—of breaking Sir Donald Bradman’s record for the most runs in a single Test series by a captain.
{{/usCountry}}What adds greater weight to Gill’s remarkable run is the potential to eclipse another towering figure of cricket history. The young skipper is also within striking distance—just 89 runs—of breaking Sir Donald Bradman’s record for the most runs in a single Test series by a captain.
{{/usCountry}}Bradman scored 810 runs in the 1936–37 Ashes series against England, a record that has stood for nearly 90 years. The Australian maestro's record came in nine innings across five Tests, averaging 90.00, with three centuries and a highest score of 270.
{{/usCountry}}Bradman scored 810 runs in the 1936–37 Ashes series against England, a record that has stood for nearly 90 years. The Australian maestro's record came in nine innings across five Tests, averaging 90.00, with three centuries and a highest score of 270.
{{/usCountry}}If Gill scores 89 or more at The Oval, he will surpass Bradman’s tally and become the highest-scoring captain in any Test series.
Gill, who has already hit four centuries, including a record-breaking 269, has a chance to do what no other captain in the history of the game could. If Gill hits another century at The Oval, then he will become the first-ever captain to hit five centuries in a bilateral series. Currently, he is tied with Gavaskar and Bradman.
The magnitude of Gill’s form and the records in his sights have added extra significance to the final match of what has already been a gripping and occasionally contentious series. With his bat doing the talking in historic fashion, Gill could soon find himself in cricket’s most elite company—not just as a leader but as a record-breaker.
As India looks to level the series and end their 18-year wait for a series win—or even a draw—in England, all eyes will be on the young captain at The Oval. History is within reach.
