Move over Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma! Shubman Gill puts captaincy worries to rest

Shubman Gill scored 754 runs in the five-match Test series against England. The series finished 2-2. (PTI Photo)

Shubman Gill against England in Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy

Matches: 5

Innings: 10

Runs: 754

Average: 75.40

Strike Rate: 65.57

100s: 4

Highest Score: 269

A captain's touch

IND vs ENG: Shubman Gill on Oval thriller, Siraj's spell, and missing Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah

Poll Is Shubman Gill the right choice for India's long-term Test captaincy? Yes, definitely! No, it’s too early to say

How Gill compares to past captains

First Series as India Test Captain (Since 2000):

Captain Series (Opponent) Result Runs / Wickets Shubman Gill 2025 (vs England) 2W-2L-1D 754 runs Rohit Sharma 2022 (vs Sri Lanka) 2W 90 runs KL Rahul 2022 (vs South Africa) 1L 55 runs Jasprit Bumrah 2022 (vs England) 1L 38 runs & 5 wickets Virat Kohli 2014/15 (vs Australia) 1L-1D 449 runs Ajinkya Rahane 2017 (vs Australia) 1W 58 runs MS Dhoni 2008 (vs South Africa) 1W 32 runs Anil Kumble 2007 (vs Pakistan) 1W-2D 28 runs & 18 wickets Virender Sehwag 2005 (vs Sri Lanka) 1W 20 runs Rahul Dravid 2003 (vs New Zealand) 1D 18 runs Sourav Ganguly 2000 (vs Bangladesh) 1W 84 runs

Second only to Gavaskar's legendary debut series

Most runs in a series for India

Player Opponent Matches Runs Highest Score Average Sunil Gavaskar West Indies (1970/71) 4 774 220 154.80 Shubman Gill England (2025) 5 754 269 75.40 Sunil Gavaskar West Indies (1978/79) 6 732 205 91.50 Yashasvi Jaiswal England (2023/24) 5 712 214* 89.00 Virat Kohli Australia (2014/15) 4 692 169 86.50

The inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, a five-Test epic between two fierce cricketing teams, came to a thrilling conclusion at The Oval, with India edging England by six runs to level the series 2-2. The far from conventional series saw a marked generational shift in Indian cricket with the emergence of a young leader in Shubman Gill , India's 37th Test captain.At just 25, Gill walked into his first full-time Test series as skipper with the added weight of history. India had not won a Test series in England since Rahul Dravid's 2007 triumph, and even seasoned captains like MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli had failed to conquer the English challenge. But Gill - leading a transitional squad without retired veterans Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma , and Ravichandran Ashwin - not only held his own but also finished as the series’ highest run-getter, scoring a staggering 754 runs across five matches.There were many shining stars in India's dramatic series: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top; Shubman Gill himself; Rishabh Pant batted despite a fracture and to cap it all off, Mohammed Siraj's tireless efforts.It was not easy and there were brickbats about team selections, but Gill’s leadership impressed many, especially for its calmness under pressure. The young skipper marshalled his resources well, trusted Washington Sundar and Prasidh Krishna in key moments, and shouldered immense batting responsibility.His double-century at Edgbaston — a majestic 269 off 387 balls — was one of the finest Test knocks by an Indian abroad.Gill may have only just begun his journey as India’s Test captain, but his dream debut series against England already stacks up impressively against some of the biggest names to have led the country in whites this century.Gill's records in the series put him comfortably ahead of Kohli - who scored 449 runs in two Tests in his first series as captain against Australia - and MS Dhoni - who began with 32 runs and a win against South Africa in 2008.So one could argue, with Gill, India have gotten best of both worlds - a batter and a skipper.Shubman Gill’s remarkable tally of 754 runs ranks as the second-highest aggregate by an Indian in a Test series. Only Sunil Gavaskar ’s 774 runs against West Indies in 1970/71 stands above. Gill’s performance not only solidifies his place as India’s batting spearhead but also marks one of the finest debut series by a Test captain.The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy lived up to its billing. India may not have won the series outright, but in many ways, this felt like a victory — a passing of the baton to the next generation. Shubman Gill's performance as captain — statistically the best first series by an Indian skipper ever — sets the tone for an exciting new era.

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