Indian captain Shubman Gill enters the final Test against England at The Oval on July 31 on the brink of rewriting cricket history. The 25-year-old opener needs just 11 runs to eclipse Sunil Gavaskar’s mark of 732 runs made by an Indian captain in a single Test series (1978–79 West Indies) and 53 runs to surpass Gavaskar’s overall Indian record of 774 runs in a bilateral series (1971 West Indies).
Gill has compiled 722 runs across eight innings in this five-match series at an exceptional average of 90.25, featuring four centuries, including a marathon 269 and a match-saving 103 in the second innings at Old Trafford. That knock rescued India from a first-innings deficit of 311 and helped secure a 114-run lead, keeping India’s hopes alive.
India currently trail 1–2, making The Oval not only Gill’s chance to secure these landmark personal milestones but also India’s opportunity to salvage a series draw—something they last managed on English soil in 2007. A solid outing from India’s young skipper could swing momentum and deny England a series victory.
Beyond Gavaskar’s dual records, Gill lies 89 runs shy of another almost 90-year-old benchmark: Sir Donald Bradman’s 810 runs as captain in the 1936–37 Ashes. Bradman’s tally came from nine innings at an average of 90.00, including a top score of 270. Surpassing Bradman would make Gill the highest-scoring captain ever in a single Test series.
Moreover, if Gill converts at The Oval, he could become the first captain in history to notch five centuries in one bilateral series—a feat currently shared only by Gavaskar and Bradman. His four centuries so far already tie him with those legends.
As India battles to level the series and end its 18-year drought of drawn or winning Test series in England, all eyes will be firmly on Gill. With history on the line and records within reach, the final Test promises to be a stage for one of cricket’s most prodigious talents to cement his legacy.
