Shubman Gill became the number-1 Indian captain, leaving behind Gavaskar and Kohli

Shubman Gill etched his name in the history books by breaking one of Indian cricket’s longstanding records—surpassing the legendary Sunil Gavaskar’s tally of 732 runs in a single Test series as captain. Gavaskar had set the benchmark in the 1978/79 series against the West Indies on home soil, a record that stood firm for nearly five decades. Gill, however, rewrote history during the ongoing Test series against England, achieving the milestone on Day 1 of the fifth and final Test at the Kennington Oval in London. Coming into the match, Gill was within striking distance of Gavaskar’s record. Needing just 11 more runs to overtake the iconic opener, he reached the milestone early in the innings, securing his place at the top of the list for the most runs by an Indian captain in a single Test series.

Gill’s journey through the series has been nothing short of phenomenal. He has been the backbone of India’s batting unit, showing both consistency and class. The 25-year-old right-hander had already delivered memorable centuries at Headingley and Edgbaston, showcasing his adaptability and hunger for big scores in challenging English conditions. One of his most talked-about innings came in the second innings of the fourth Test at Manchester, where he battled through seaming conditions and delivered another century when the team needed him the most. With this stellar run of form, Gill’s tally now stands at 737\* runs in the ongoing series—surpassing not just Gavaskar, but also modern-day legend Virat Kohli. Kohli’s best performance in a series came against England in 2016/17 when he scored 655 runs. He followed that with two more 600+ series tallies, against Sri Lanka and again against England in 2018. However, Gill now stands alone at the summit.

Here’s a quick look at the top five run-scorers as Indian Test captains in a series:

1. Shubman Gill – 737* runs vs England, 2025

2. Sunil Gavaskar – 732 runs vs West Indies, 1978/79

3. Virat Kohli – 655 runs vs England, 2016/17

4. Virat Kohli – 610 runs vs Sri Lanka, 2017/18

5. Virat Kohli – 593 runs vs England, 2018

While Gill’s historic feat was the highlight, Day 1 of the Oval Test was anything but smooth sailing for the Indian side. After winning the toss, England’s stand-in captain Ollie Pope elected to bowl first under overcast skies, and the conditions heavily favored the English seamers. India struggled to build momentum, and at stumps, they were 204 for 6 in just 64 overs of play. The match was frequently interrupted by rain, and only a portion of the scheduled play was possible.

Despite the pressure, Karun Nair stood tall with a fighting, unbeaten 52, showing much-needed resilience in the middle order. He found support from young Sai Sudharsan, who contributed a valuable 38 before falling. The rest of the Indian batting order, however, found it tough to cope with the disciplined English attack led by Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue, both of whom claimed two wickets apiece. Chris Woakes chipped in with one wicket but had to leave the field in the 57th over due to a suspected shoulder injury, a potential blow for England moving forward in the match.

Washington Sundar was at the crease with Nair at the close of play, unbeaten on 19, as India hoped to push the total beyond 300 on Day 2. With Shubman Gill’s record-breaking moment providing a silver lining, the Indian team would be eager to capitalize on his leadership and the remaining batting depth. As things stand, the series and this final Test remain delicately poised.