India captain Shubman Gill is on course to break Don Bradman’s 88-year-old Test record in the ongoing England series. The 25-year-old has been in phenomenal form, having scored three centuries in two Tests, including a double ton at Edgbaston. The Punjab cricketer has already broken several records in the ongoing series and is now 225 runs short of breaking Bradman’s legendary record.
The former Australia international holds the record for most runs as a captain in Test cricket. Bradman amassed 810 runs in five Test matches in the 1936-37 Ashes (vs England), averaging 90. He hit three centuries in the series. Gill, in the meantime, has already scored 585 runs in just two Tests. Now, it needs to be seen if the youngster can remain consistent for the remaining three matches and not just break the record, but help India clinch the historic series.
Interestingly, the 1936-37 Ashes was also Bradman’s first series as captain, and it’s the same for Gill. He missed the opportunity to surpass the legendary Australia cricketer on the list of the highest individual score by a captain in Tests. Bradman made 270 in the same series, while Gill was out for 269 runs against England at Edgbaston.
Meanwhile, former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar holds the record for most runs by an Indian captain in a Test series. The ‘little master’, as he was popularly known, scored 732 in six Tests against West Indies in the 1978-79 season. Gill only needs 148 runs to surpass Gavaskar.
Gill can also break another of Don Bradman’s records
Even though it seems difficult, but the young India captain can also break Bradman’s record for most runs by a cricketer in a Test series. The late great Bradman made 974 runs in the 1930 Ashes, which is recorded as the most runs by a cricketer in a Test series. Gill now needs 390 runs in the remaining three matches to break the record.