When Rohit Sharma called time on his illustrious Test career, the captaincy baton was passed to the young and elegant Shubman Gill. It was a move that sparked plenty of chatter — some hopeful, others skeptical. Could Gill handle the pressure of leading India, especially in the unforgiving conditions of SENA countries? The answer came swiftly and emphatically.
Gill’s leadership journey began on a high in the first Test at Headingley. Faced with both the weight of captaincy and questions about his form, he delivered a knock for the ages. His superb 147 in the first innings not only silenced his critics but etched his name alongside Indian greats — becoming just the fifth Indian to score a century on Test captaincy debut, joining the likes of Vijay Hazare and Sunil Gavaskar.
Skipper Gill's Dominance
If Headingley was a statement, Edgbaston was a coronation. In the second Test, Gill elevated his game to new heights. Resuming Day 2 on 114*, he powered his way to a maiden double century, dismantling England’s attack and rewriting the record books.
And he didn’t stop there. In the second innings, Gill added a composed half-century, becoming the highest run-scorer by an Indian captain in a debut Test series, surpassing Virat Kohli’s tally from 2014-15.
Most Runs In Debut Series As India Test Captain
459* – Shubman Gill vs ENG (Away, 2025, 4 innings)
449 – Virat Kohli vs AUS (Away, 2014/15, 4 innings)
347 – Vijay Hazare vs ENG (Home, 1951/52, 7 innings)
319 – Nari Contractor vs PAK (Home, 1960/61, 6 innings)
305 – Dilip Vengsarkar vs WI (Home, 1987/88, 5 innings)
303 – Mohammad Azharuddin vs NZ (Away, 1989/90, 4 innings)
Gill’s stunning 300-plus aggregate at Edgbaston also placed him in rare company — the 13th player to score 300 or more runs in a single Test on English soil, a feat last achieved by Hashim Amla.
More Records To Feathers
Shubman Gill has etched his name in the record books with a stellar performance at Edgbaston, 2025, registering the highest match aggregate for an Indian batter in Tests. Gill’s combined tally of 349 runs (269 & 80)* against England surpassed Sunil Gavaskar’s 344 runs at Port of Spain in 1971.
He now sits atop an illustrious list that includes VVS Laxman’s 340 against Australia in Kolkata (2001), Sourav Ganguly’s 330 versus Pakistan in Bengaluru (2007), and Virender Sehwag’s 319 against South Africa in Chennai (2008). A truly monumental feat by the Indian skipper!
