Shubman Gill Breaks Virat Kohli’s Record for Most Runs by an Indian Captain in a Test Series in England

Despite a modest outing at Lord’s on the second day of the third Test against England, Shubman Gill etched his name into the record books by surpassing a major milestone previously held by Virat Kohli. The young Indian skipper now holds the record for the most runs scored by an Indian captain in a Test series in England.

Gill, who managed just 16 runs off 44 balls at Lord’s, pushed his series tally to 601 runs in five innings at an outstanding average of 120.20. This helped him surpass Kohli’s 593 runs from the 2016 five-match series in England, where the former captain averaged 59.30 with two centuries and three half-centuries. Gill’s record-breaking moment came quietly in an innings where he fell to Chris Woakes in the final session, caught behind by Jamie Smith as the ball kissed the outside edge of his forward defence.

Though Gill missed out on a big score at the ‘Home of Cricket’, his impact through the series has been undeniable. He took over Kohli’s iconic number four position in the batting order and made an immediate impression with landmark innings earlier in the tour. His standout performance came at Edgbaston, where he scored a staggering 269 in the first innings followed by 161 in the second, leading India to their first-ever win at the venue. That match also marked his first victory as a Test captain.

Following his heroics in Birmingham, Gill gained 15 places in the ICC Test rankings to reach a career-best sixth spot. In that same Edgbaston Test, he broke another of Kohli’s records—the highest aggregate by an Indian captain in a single Test match. Kohli had scored 243 and 50 against Sri Lanka in December 2017 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, but Gill’s combined 430 runs now top that achievement.

Even though his latest innings at Lord’s ended prematurely, Gill’s purple patch continues to define his rise in international cricket. His refined technique and composure at the crease have drawn praise from all quarters, and his leadership has played a vital role in India’s strong showing during the ongoing series. After his dismissal, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant steadied India with an unbeaten 38-run stand, pushing the team to 145/3 at stumps.