Shubman Gill Eyes History with Bradman, Gavaskar Records in Sight at Lord’s

Shubman Gill is in the form of his life, and England are feeling every bit of it. The 25-year-old Indian skipper has been nothing short of sensational in the ongoing Test series, racking up a staggering 585 runs in just two matches. After scoring 147 at Headingley and twin centuries (269 and 161) at Edgbaston, Gill has not only lit up the series — he’s putting cricket’s all-time greats on notice.

Heading into the third Test at Lord’s, Gill is chasing down some historic records — including those held by none other than Don Bradman and Sunil Gavaskar. And if he keeps going at this rate, he could walk out of this series with his name etched firmly in the record books. 

Most Runs in a Series as Captain 

First up, there’s Bradman’s record for the most runs in a single series as captain — 810 runs, set way back in the 1936-37 Ashes. That was Bradman’s first series as skipper. Coincidentally, it’s Gill’s debut series as captain too, and he’s already just 225 runs shy of breaking that 88-year-old mark. 

Gill is also closing in on Sunil Gavaskar’s Indian record for the most runs in a series as captain — 732 runs in six Tests against the West Indies in 1978-79. Gill needs just 148 more to surpass the Little Master. He’s already ahead of schedule. 

Centuries in First Three Tests as Captain 

If Gill scores a hundred at Lord’s, it will be his fourth century in three Tests — making him the first Indian ever to hit centuries in his first three matches as captain. Only England’s Alastair Cook has done it before, scoring five tons in his first five matches in charge. 

Most Runs in an India–England Test Series 

Yashasvi Jaiswal set the benchmark during England’s tour of India in early 2024 by scoring 712 runs in the home series. Gill needs 128 runs to overtake his teammate and become the highest run-getter for India in a Test series against England. To top the all-time list, however, he’ll have to beat Graham Gooch’s 752 runs from 1990 — a target he’s just 168 away from. 

Most Runs in a Test Series (Overall) 

Now, this one might seem like a stretch, but the dream is alive — the most runs in a single Test series by anyone, ever. Bradman’s 974 runs in the 1930 Ashes still stands as the gold standard. Gill needs 390 more to rewrite that record — and he’s ahead of Bradman’s pace, who had 394 after two Tests in that series compared to Gill’s 585. 

Most Hundreds in a Test Series 

The record for the most hundreds in a series is also up for grabs. West Indies legend Clyde Walcott hammered five centuries in a single series in 1955. Gill has three already and three more matches to go. Bradman holds the record for most centuries in a series as captain with four. For India, Gavaskar hit four centuries twice — in 1971 and again in 1978-79. 

Fastest to 1000 Test Runs as Captain 

Bradman again leads this category — reaching the milestone in 11 innings. Gill has six more innings to score 415 runs and break that. Gavaskar took 14 innings to reach 1000 runs as captain. Gill could easily beat both at this rate.