Manchester, July 27 (UNI) Shubman Gill’s aggregate of 722 runs in the ongoing five-match Test series against England has not only made headlines for its sheer volume, but also for the historic context it has created. In his first assignment as India’s Test captain, Gill now stands second only to the legendary Sir Donald Bradman, who scored 810 runs in his debut series as captain against England in 1936–37. No other debut Test skipper has scored more in an away series.
Adding further weight to his phenomenal campaign, Gill has become only the third captain in the history of Test cricket to score four centuries in a single series, matching the legendary feats of Don Bradman (1947–48 vs India) and Sunil Gavaskar (1978–79 vs West Indies). Remarkably, Gill is the first to achieve this milestone on foreign soil.
When he guided Chris Woakes through point for a single during India’s second innings at Old Trafford, Gill brought up his fourth century of the series, his ninth overall in Test cricket. The celebrations were emotional and spirited: helmet off, bat raised, eyes to the sky, and a kiss blown to the spectators, which responded with a thunderous standing ovation.
Gill’s historic run has also seen him equal the Indian record for most hundreds in a single Test series. With four centuries, he now stands alongside Sunil Gavaskar (1971 and 1978/79) and Virat Kohli (2014/15), all of whom previously held the joint record.
While Gill’s individual brilliance has anchored India’s fight in English conditions, the series has also seen another monumental feat. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, with 1000* runs and 34 wickets in England, has become just the third player in Test history to score over 1000 runs and take 30 or more wickets in a single away country. The others in this rare club are Wilfred Rhodes (England in Australia) and Garry Sobers (West Indies in England).
